Dragonheart: The Return - REWRITE
by SoulVirus
Summary: In the year 1112, young Caleb Johnson is training to become a Knight, but fate and destiny have other plans as they plunge Caleb into an ageless war between the deadliest beings known to mankind. However, the stumble of an object of the most beautiful beings thought to be extinct, is only but part of a prophecy which foretells of the un-preventable apocalypse.
1. Prologue: How it all began

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank you.**

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**A/N: This is my second attempt at writing a fantasy story such as Dragonheart, and thank to RPG Master, I found the motivation I was looking for. This story is dedicated to you.**

**I must point out that this is a re-write of the previous first attempt of my Dragonheart story, the plot and characters remain the same, I have just improved and added a few extra bits in, added a few chapters here and there. **

**Just read, enjoy, and leave me a review on what you thought of this chapter. I will see you at the bottom.**

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**Dragonheart: The Return**

**Prologue**

**How it all began**

In the beginning, there was the Twelve, six men and six women who travelled the world delivering stories of their adventures to distant travellers across the lands of the known world. Their stories were well known and to some they were regarded as royalty while some saw them as philosophers offering people new options on life.

The Twelve were kind and peaceful, treating everyone around them like family, be them poor or held no relations to one another.

The Twelve were driven to change the world, to assure that everyone within the world lived together in peace and harmony and to banish the lands of all evil. Far and wide they taught all who crossed into their paths on how to defend themselves from the lingering darkness that lived in the world.

They presented their teachings and defence in the form of Taika, ancient powers of sorcery used only for good. Those who were met by the Twelve took their words to heart. Slowly, but surely, good was prevailing in the world.

Over time, the Twelve saw fit to bring forth the knowledge of how they came to be so wise and trustworthy, and how they came to attain the Taika in which they possess.

They explained to all those who looked up to them for solutions and guidance, that there were forces in the world who kept the world free of darkness. They issued the people of the lands around them with a simple story.

The story went that billions of years ago, before the time of Taika and man, of a world so corrupt and filled with chaos, how demons ruled the earth. It was a time of ash and fire and blood which reigned for billions of years until a new opposing force rose up and obliterated the lands of the chaos and corruption that existed.

These beings, when brought forth after many years of hiding, were so named as the fire breathers of old, Draigs, or more commonly known in the English tongue as Dragons.

It was from the Draigs that the Twelve learnt of wisdom and the power of Taika. Humanity accepted the Draigs into their lives, and the Draigs taught humanity of peace and prosperity. For the next thousands of years, life had become one with every living soul.

However, as time passed, humanity grew tiresome of the Draigs and of the Twelve. Slowly, darkness crept back into the world and began corrupting the minds of men.

It wasn't until on one fateful day that an accident caused one of the Twelve to become injured. It was at that moment that humanity learnt that any injury inflicted onto the Twelve, they felt no pain. Their suspicions grew as they began to realize that none of the Twelve aged. They would always look the same, young and healthy.

Attempting to provide an answer, the stubbornness of men caused frictions within society, this lead to the breaking of humanity. Humans began to take matters into their own hands, and from this breaking, Rebels were born.

Across the world, many Humans turned against the Draigs and their teachings, thus leading to war which broke out across the world, plummeting the earth into a new age of chaos and fire.

As war broke out, humans began electing Kings and Queens, Generals, any leader worthy enough to take on and lead a community or land.

From the darkness of humanity, their distrust in the Draigs caused humans to become hostile towards their mentors as well as the Twelve.

Humanity began hunting every known Dragon that existed in existence. The Twelve did everything in their power to protect their masters. Humanity seemed to be gaining the upper hand, they became clever, and agile, soon a new breed of hunter was born, Dragon Hunters, a name which Dragons even to the day, fear.

Seeing no end to the chaos, the Twelve resorted to using the most dangerous Taika known to all. Mustering up their power they opened a portal which in turn unleashed the Shyee, Demons from an alternate world, a world of dust and oblivion.

Taking their orders from the Twelve, the Shyee held back the humans and their armies which had now spread across the world. It seemed that order was being brought back into balance, however unbeknownst at the time of opening the portal, a new terror came in the form of dark, black figures, Dark Dragons, counterparts of the good Dragons, and far more powerful than the good.

Things turned more apocalyptic as the Dark Dragons allied themselves with the Humans to take down their counterparts. The world had now become filled once again with fire, ash and blood.

Seeing no end to the pursuing war, the Twelve gathered and for three long days, they spoke endlessly until they come up with a solution to end this petty war.

On the third day, they knew what had to be done.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

On the fourth day after concluding what had to be done to stop the ensuring chaos that was loitering in the world, the Twelve travelled to the point where they had opened the portal to the Shyee and Dark Dragon domain.

Here they called upon the Lords, Kings, Queens, Warlords and Generals, everyone to witness a turning point in the futile war.

The Twelve embraced each other before sacrificing themselves by using their bodies, their own blood to seal the portal to the Shyee and Dark Dragon realm.

From this singular point in history, all fighting had stopped.

The Twelve had showed those who were present, the true meaning of sacrifice, and from their sacrifice, humanity saw their flaws and hatred reflected within themselves leading them to return and apologize to the remaining Draigs for their inanity.

Many Humans returned to what remained of the Draigs and sought out their teachings yet again, and in honour of the Twelve, the humans sought to carry on the legacy of the Twelve and what they had offered the world: a second chance at life. There were those however, who did not retake the teachings of the Draigs.

Learning of the closure of the portal to their home world, the Shyee were angered for being confined to a world that was not their home. The Dark Dragons on the other hand, were not stewed by the fact that their home had been cut off from them.

As their anger grew, the Shyee began allying themselves with humans and Dark Dragons in hopes of punishing them for trapping them in a world that was not their own.

Their feat was short lived, due to the closure of the portal, the Shyee became weak and retreated into the shadows, never to be seen again.

The Dark Dragons meanwhile continued with their terrorism.

There seemed to be only two ways of ending the terror of the Dark Dragons: Cutting out their hearts and cursing each and every one to live in a Human form, whilst hiding their hearts from them. Or alternatively, kill them.

As the years passed, the Shyee in remission and the Dark Dragons running scared from the hunters who sought to curse them, peace had returned, but everyone was weary as evil had a way of returning.

But everything has a way of becoming forgotten and tucked away in the recesses of history. Ancestors and descendants forgot about the Twelve, the Draigs, the Dark Dragons and the Shyee, soon even Taika was forgotten, never to be used again.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

History has a way of changing, but always clings on to the truth, desperate to be learnt, to be told. The old days of Camelot and King Arthur came and went, leading fate to concentrate itself on a Saxon knight called Bowen.

In the year 984, Bowen taught a future king, Prince Einon, on hopes of becoming a much better king than his father. Progress seemed to be in reach, but when Einon's father attacked a small village, the village folk rebelled, killing the king in the process.

Einon took the crown from his father's corpse in retreat of the battle, only for Einon to become mortally wounded by accident by an innocent young girl who went by the name of Kara.

Saved by Bowen and rushed back to his mother, Queen Aislinn, Einon sat on his deathbed.

Near death, and with nothing to be done, Queen Aislinn took her son to see a mighty Dragon, one of the very last few of its kind who escaped the hunting many years ago.

After a long trek, they came before the Dragon. Aislinn implored the Dragon to save her sons life.

Cutting opening of its own chest, the Dragon replaced part of its own heart and placed it within Einon on the promise that he will rule with justice and virtue. Einon vowed that he would.

However, Einon became tyrannical, enslaving rebels and ordering them to rebuild a Roman Castle so that he may live in.

Believing that the Dragon had twisted the young King's mind, Bowen swore to hunt down every Dragon as a vengeance for being tricked to save Einon's life and turning him into a tyrant.

Years went by and Bowen had slaughtered many Dragons until all but one remained, the last of his kind. Though Bowen attempted to kill this last Dragon, the Dragon and Bowen struck up a deal, with the Dragon being the last of its kind, Bowen realized that there would no more riches for him.

Soon, their rocky start grew into a relationship where Bowen valued the Dragon and its life. Bowen dubbed the Dragon the name Draco, and viewed the Dragon as a close friend. Throughout their journey, their adventures were documented by a monk known as Brother Gilbert.

Their con to gain riches eventually brought forth a new traveller, Kara, the girl who had caused Einon's accident. Once caught by Einon, who brutally killed her father, Kara escaped his clutches from the help of Queen Aislinn.

Eventually after so many years, Einon found Bowen and a short battle ensued, from this battle, Bowen saw the madness of Einon and realized how strong he had become with fighting in combat. From almost killing Bowen, Draco emerged, causing Einon to retreat.

Together, Bowen, Brother Gilbert, Kara and Draco plotted to kill the king and end his reign.

Along in their journey, Bowen, Kara and Brother Gilbert learnt that it was Draco that saved Einon's life and that part of his own heart now beats within Einon, but Einon had corrupted the heart in which Draco placed inside him. Together both Einon and Draco are linked. Draco had hoped that tyranny would end with Einon when he became a great and wise king, sadly it was not to be.

After rallying together their forces to help take down the king, Bowen, Kara and Brother Gilbert rallied the village folk and soon a bloody battle emerged just outside the castle grounds of King Einon's castle.

Before the battle had stated, Aislinn had presented Einon with a gift, Dragon Slayers, since Einon's encounter with Draco rattled him Aislinn swore that these Dragon Slayers were the best.

During the battle, Bowen, Kara and Brother Gilbert learnt of yet another terrible truth. Brother Gilbert had struck a killing blow to King Einon in the heart. But Einon remained standing, unharmed by the killing blow, as for Draco, as part of his heart beats inside of Einon, any pain dealt to the king would be inflicted on Draco. Draco during the battle was captured by the Dragon Slayers due to feeling the pain which now reflected from Einon to him.

Making the connection, Einon raced back to his castle to stop the Dragon Slayers from killing Draco, from then on Draco would become King Einon's pet and that he would keep it locked up with him so Einon would remain immortal.

After the battle had ended, Bowen led a desperate mission to save Draco. A small team, along with Kara and Brother Gilbert chose to join in Bowen's quest to raid the castle.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

Later that night after the battle had ensured, Aislinn met with Draco, and after a short conversation, Draco asked Aislinn to kill him, she accepted and begged his forgiveness to which Draco allowed. But Aislinn was stopped by her own son who saw right through his mother's disguise and the true reason on why she recruited the Dragon Slayers.

In his tyranny, Einon killed his own mother.

Bowen, Kara and Brother Gilbert and their team, infiltrated the castle. It wasn't long before that Bowen and Einon confronted each other and lead a battle through the castle, whilst the others of Bowen's team stormed the castle and took it by force, fatalities on both sides.

The castle had been taken, Bowen overthrew Einon and released Draco.

However, Draco had one last secret to share to Bowen, and that he was to die in order stop Einon. Bowen did not want his friend to die, but Draco did all he could to persuade him, even forced Bowen to attack him, still Bowen could not kill his friend.

Though Einon had been overthrown and injured, he still lived. In one last effort to strike Bowen down, he charged at Bowen. Draco made his own death easy for Bowen by revealing the mark where his heart lies.

Seeing no choice, no way out, Bowen killed Draco by piercing his heart thus killing Draco, and as Draco's heart also resonated within Einon, Draco was the life source, by killing Draco, Einon died also.

Saddened by the loss of his friend, Bowen witnessed something spectacular, Draco's soul dissipated and became a star amongst the consolations, this consolation was known to all Draigs throughout the lands of the earth, and it was so called the Nefoedd.

With Draco now in Nefoedd (Heaven), it was his star that shone brightly in the night for those who needed somewhere to look in times of peril.

The last of the Draigs were extinct.

As for Bowen, Kara and Brother Gilbert, they lead the kingdom into an era of peace and justice.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

As the ages moved on, the first of the three to die was Kara, who had wed Bowen and their descendants went on making their own ways and destinies in the world.

Brother Gilbert was the second to die, in his time on earth, he wrote out many scrolls documenting Dragons and tales and prophecies that would eventually come true. Most of his documents were so detailed that many of the documents were deemed dangerous and were locked away in the farthest and deepest caverns of the earth.

The last to die was Bowen. Old and decrepit, Bowen took one final visit to his beloved friend's home, Draco's Cave which was hidden behind a waterfall. Within Draco's cave fate unearthed a peculiar find.

When thought that Draco was the last of his kind, a hidden compartment revealed yet another Dragon Egg.

Bowen took the egg to a monastery where his dear friend Brother Gilbert used to live. The monks took the egg and swore to keep the egg and the Dragon within a secret, guarded over by Friar Peter who would watch and teach the Dragon.

As days turned into years, a young stable boy who went by the name of Geoff, dreamt of becoming a knight. Geoff was adopted by the monks at the monastery and was driven by curiosity. His curiosity got the better of him as there was one particular part of the monastery he was not allowed to venture in.

Tricking a gullible Friar Mansel into cleaning out the stable for him, Geoff took the key in which unlocked the iron grate to the lower and sealed off areas of the monastery, where in the lower recesses of the dungeons he met Drake, a shy and timid Dragon, barely a teenager. Instantly the two bonded.

As the weeks passed. Drake and Geoff grew closer in friendship, but kept their friendship a secret. With every chance he got, Geoff would venture down into catacombs and meet with Drake seeing as Drake was not allowed outside.

Drake knew very little of the world, and very little of emotions, for when Friar Peter suddenly died, Drake felt sadness, despite Friar Mansel reassuring Drake that everything was going to be okay.

Around about this time a mysterious man called Lord Osric of Crossley was made the Kings advisor – the king under the influence of evil - and swore to lead the land back into its former prosperity before Bowen broke his pledge as a knight to hunt down Dragons. Though his intentions were good mannered, they were corrupt as Osric forced everyone in the land to wear a certain colour of tunic to make everyone aware of what rank they stood in this world, and that anyone caught not wearing a tunic, would be punished.

Also during this time, two adventures, Chinese warriors came into the kingdom wishing fulfil a prophecy which was written by Brother Gilbert, a prophecy states that a Dragon's heart will spell doom when a two tailed comet blazes across the night sky.

Following Friar Peter's death, not wanting to miss his funeral, Geoff and Drake watched from afar as the monks carried the body of the late Friar Peter away from the monastery. It also marked Drake's first time out in the wide world.

Many more days followed with Drake living outside in the world, Mansel soon found out and was not at all happy with Geoff's incompetence.

Geoff taught Drake a great deal of many things, the only problem was teaching him to fly. After coming across a group of bullies due to him not wearing his tonic, in a rather complicated battle, Drake saved Geoff which prompted him to fly.

During the flight, the whole kingdom saw Drake, many at first were afraid, but Osric saw potential in Drake and made Drake protector of the land, and offered Geoff a chance to become a knight.

Soon a new friendship formed between Osric and Geoff, while the two Chinese adventures sought to test Drake on his purity, for they feared that he was the Dragon to doom mankind during the passing of the two tailed comet. Drake passed each test. Afterwards, the two adventures trained Drake to breathe fire and ice.

It was also from the two adventures that they learnt of a mighty Dark Dragon who went by the name of Griffin, who betrayed the Dragons and killed Humans, Griffin somehow escaped Bowen's slaughter during the time he hunted down Dragons. Griffin rebelled against the humans. Caught by the Emperors finest men, Griffin had his heart cut out and was cursed to live as a human. The Emperor, so Geoff and Drake were told, became fearful of many other Dark Dragons as well as the Draigs and had any who crossed into his land slaughtered. The whereabouts of Griffin remained a mystery, his heart was placed in a red box, which is carried around by the two adventures.

The day of when Geoff became a knight was put to the test, where Osric took a small battalion to a small command post where a group of the kingdoms men had been butchered. Joining them in the mission was Drake who would back them up.

However those who had butchered the command post laid a trap, and a battle ensured. During the battle Osric was dealt a deadly blow. Osric begged Drake to cut out his heart and give it to him. Sensing that something was wrong, Geoff stopped Drake and found out that he had been used so that Osric could get to Drake, quickly, both fled.

Angered, Osric returned to the castle, it was there that the two adventures learnt of who Osric really was.

Killing one of the adventures, and stealing the red box which contained the heart of Griffin, Osric waited for the right moment until the passing of the two tailed comet.

Geoff and Drake arrived in time to tell everyone of what Osric had done. Slandering Bowen's legacy of being a butcher of his kind, Osric sliced open his chest and place the heart of Griffin inside him, Osric being Griffin in his cursed form was restored to his former form: a Dragon.

Finally restored, Griffin persuaded Drake to join him in his reign in enslaving and conquering mankind. Drake declined and a battle soon engaged between Drake and Griffin.

Griffin gained the upper hand, but by using his teachings, Drake froze Griffin in mid-flight using his freeze breath, Griffin fell back to the ground and shattered into a million pieces, killing Griffin once and for all.

With Griffin gone, Drake searched for Geoff, who had been impaled by a shard of ice, laid dead in front of him.

Feeling that he could not live without his only true friend, Drake cut out a part of his heart and placed it inside Geoff, restoring his life. Unlike Einon, Drake and Geoff shared a bond.

Together, they lived happily until their days were over. Each day they felt joy with each beating heart they felt.

As the year passed, Drake and Geoff died together, and the Dragon race was no more.

With everyone thinking that the Draigs and Dark Dragons were extinct, humanity forgot about the Shyee. As many millennia passed since their entrance into the world, they waited, gathering their power and growing in numbers, waiting for the right time to strike. A moment which was being numbered in seconds…

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**Copyrighted ©***  
***Anything Original such as new characters and new plot is owned by me.**

**A/N: So there you have the first prologue of Dragonheart. Not sure when the next chapter will be up, but bare with me, as I have other work to attend to, so just be patient and keep an eye out on my update page.**

**Reviews are much appreciated. Thank you.  
SoulVirus**


	2. Chapter 1: A Run in the Night

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank you.**

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**A/N: Just one review from the prologue, not bothered about that, was expecting that, and in answer to your review RPG Master, I cannot promise anything, but I will try and see what I can do.**

**Now, sit back, relax, read and don't forget to review. See you at the bottom.**

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**Dragonheart: The Return**

**Chapter 1**

**A Run in the Night**

Our story begins with three heavily clothed in black women, who rode on horseback – all three in the colour of black – through the most dangerous woods on the face of the earth: Fern Woods.

Only a fool would dare enter this wood that was crawling with traitors, exiled knights, cut throat thieves and other ungodly creatures. It was also the current home of the Shyee.

However, these three heavily concealed women were not fools, though they were desperate to reach the other side of Fern Woods before morning. Brave though they were, dark forces were spying on them, watching them, studying them as they made their way deeper into the thick overgrown trees, branches and grass covered floor of mud and blood. Fern Woods was a dangerous place to be at night.

The three women kept their eyes open, their senses sharp as they surveyed their surroundings with each quick glance.

They brought their horses to a trot and then a stop.

"Anything sisters?" the eldest said.

"Nothing on my end." The middle replied.

"Same." The youngest also replied.

Once more, they surveyed their surroundings.

"Any signs of movement?" the eldest asked.

Yet again, they surveyed their positions.

"No sign of any Dark Riders or the Shyee." The youngest replied.

"The Shyee don't show themselves unless they have to, it's the inhabitants of Fern Woods we need to be cautious of." The middle mentioned.

"We best check the item." The eldest said.

The two sisters nodded. The youngest brought forth a sack that was hanging from her shoulder in front of her. She gingerly opened up the flap and peered inside. "It is in perfect condition, Meta." The youngest replied.

"Then we best not linger here. We should move." Meta replied.

Quickly they rode off, making distance between their stop and their current destination.

As they rode, the forces of Fern Woods watched with piercing eyes as they continued, little did the three women know their journey would be diverted.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

Their journey in Fern Woods thus far had not brought them any danger of any sorts. It was quiet which began to unnerve the three sisters who rode through the wood.

Time had no meaning to those who enter the woods; it was difficult to tell how much time had passed. Current location was also difficult to distinguish as Fern Woods had the tendency to waylay travellers who enters its network of evil.

"Sisters, I think we are lost." The middle sister said as the three rode.

"I believe, Tia, you are right." Meta confirmed. "I feel as if we have seen these trees before." Meta looked around. Meta was the sister who could familiarize herself with just one glance of their surroundings, a photographic memory that came in good hand to her in times of needs. It was a talent she possessed since she was child.

"How do we find our way out of Fern Woods now?" the youngest sister asked, fearing the worst.

"Fear not, Drea, we must remain calm." Meta said looking towards her youngest sister.

"Have you not heard of the rumours of Fern Woods?" Drea asked. Her two sisters did not reply. "Those who enter Fern Woods do not leave." Drea shuddered. "I fear we may now be part of those rumours."

"An old wives tale to scare children is all that rumour is." Tia said.

"Rumour or not," Meta began. "We need to find our way out of Fern Woods and deliver the item as promised."

Making haste, the three sisters rode steadfast through the murky woods, unbeknownst that the dark forces of Fern Woods had placed obstacles in their path.

As the sisters rode, a sudden draft picked up sending a chill through the three sisters bodies. Up above the branches swayed in the breeze. One branch broke free and fell to the earth.

"Meta! Up above!" Tia called.

Just in time, Meta looked up and brought her horse to a sudden stop as the branch landed with a thud on the road before them. Meta's horse was spooked and began neighing wildly. "Easy, Shena, easy!" Meta soothed.

Tia trotted up to her. "Are you okay, sister? Any damage?"

Meta shook her head. "Nothing, though I sense the dark forces of Fern Woods are doing all in their damnedest to prevent us from leaving here alive."

Drea trotted up behind them and warned them of a pressing matter. "Sisters, as I look back on our path, my vison seems to trick me, the path blackens with darkness, and I sense that something has been following us."

Meta and Tia looked back at the path in which they road down.

"Trust nothing you see, Fern Woods will do anything to prevent us reaching the other side." Meta told her two sisters.

"Sister," Tia began. "Is it possible that those within Fern Woods know of the item?"

Meta thought. "Impossible, we have kept this in our hands and sight way before even the Shyee came into this world." Meta told her sister.

"We should not delay!" Drea told her sisters, Meta and Tia nodded and hastily the three moved on.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

As the night wore on and the edge of Fern Woods nowhere in sight, the three sister soon came to an abrupt stop: a two-way path in their journey prevented them from moving any further.

"Which way now?" Drea asked. She got no reply.

All three sisters looked down both paths, both consumed by darkness, both possibly harbouring more danger than that of the other.

"I don't know." Meta said.

"Perhaps I can be of help!" a sudden cool male voice came from somewhere, almost nowhere.

The three sister drew from within their black robes swords, as they drew them the sound of the cool voice laughed amusingly.

"It is a crime to enter Fern Woods without consent from the Shyee. The penalty for which is…death!" the cool voice said with an edge of sinister to it.

"There shall be no death here today, stranger!" Meta called out.

The voice laughed again, amused. "By the end of the night, there shall be a death, nay, deaths."

A rustle moved through the trees. The sisters on high alert.

"Usually with me, I tend to make situations like these, interesting." Hissed the voice.

"What do you want?" Meta asked keeping her tone firm.

"There is but one thing I require, word tells me that you may be carrying something of great value."

"We carry nothing!" Tia said instantly.

The voice laughed again in that same amusing way that it caused Drea to shudder. "Prophecies cannot be contained from us here in Fern Woods, even the Shyee knew of your arrival, and of that in which your younger sister keeps close to her."

Tia and Meta took one look at Drea before their eyes settled on the sack in which Drea held so closely.

"How do you know of the item in the sack?" Tia spat.

"We've always known. Technically, the Shyee have always known, and now my masters wish for me to take it from you, by any means necessary." A pause lingered in the air. "But me, I relish in the glory of combat before I take whatever it is my masters so wish or need. Therefore I propose one duel to each sister, the first sister to challenge me to a combat; I shall reveal the correct path to the edge of Fern Woods."

"Why should we believe anything you say?" Drea said holding her nerve.

"You don't. Or perhaps I shall issue you with a riddle to the correct path."

"A riddle?" Tia frowned upon the word.

"The path you seek is the one next to the right, but the one to left also leads to the right path."

"Hardly what I call a riddle." Muttered Drea. "More of a confusion."

Meta frowned. "Will you not show yourself stranger?"

"My appearance is of no importance to you." The voice replied in the same cool tone it attained. "All the more, better the three of you reveal yourselves, throw aside you dark clothing and let Fern Woods see you for who you truly are."

The three sisters turned to look at one another, then, complying with the voices' demands, one by one, took off their hoods.

Meta was old and decrepit with white flowing hair, though her demeanour was strong, her cheekbones could clearly be shown, but looks could be deceptive. She looked around for the person with sharp grey eyes.

Tia, the second youngest, had a stern feature about her, her face was steady and her blue eyes focused, her skin had a fair lightness to it, it almost gleamed in the dark gloom of Fern Woods, just one look at Tia and one would describe her as 'a force not to be reckoned with'.

Drea was the youngest out of the three and the most beautiful, she was around 16 years of age, her features were appealing, and her skin was peach and smooth, her eyes gleamed like sapphire and her lips red as wine, her hair was white blonde, she wore a bandanna on her forehead.

"Now that we have revealed ourselves, will you not show yourself?" Meta asked.

"'Know thy enemy' I believe the term best suited for this moment." The voice said. "Very well, it will do you pleasure to look up!" the voice said.

The three sisters looked up at the trees. Drea saw a man standing on a branch looking down at them. "Sisters!" Drea alerted, Tia and Meta looked up in the direction where Drea pointed.

Jumping down from his perch, the stranger landed in front of the three women with not so much as rustle or thud. "Greetings, I am Mortimer, lead Watcher of Fern Woods, and loyal servant to my masters the Shyee." Mortimer bowed at the sisters.

The three sisters took in Mortimer's appearance; the man had long black dark hair. He too was covered in black from head to toe; he wore a cloak that swayed behind him every time he moved an inch. His facial expression was more disturbing, his face was pale, and black lines had been marked over his face. His brown eyes bore into each sister.

"What are you?" Tia asked repulsed.

Mortimer smiled his teeth all yellow and crooked. "Oh, I am Human do not fret, unlike most creatures in Fern Woods, I am the least of your worries." He chortled a little. "So," Mortimer said drawing out a blunt and rusted sword. "Who out of the three of you, wishes to face me in a duel in hopes that the item will reach the other side of Fern Woods before dawn, as I have mentioned by the end of the night, there will be a death or deaths."

The sisters stared at Mortimer who knelt on his sword.

"I will fight you." Meta said jumping down from her horse.

Drea and Tia looked to their oldest sister in trepidation. "You can't," Tia demanded. "He will surely kill you."

"That he may," Meta said. "But I may be able to provide you some time, go, and make haste. The question to his riddle is the path on the right, he practically given us the answer. I felt a slight shudder in his voice when he spoke out the riddle."

Drea and Tia looked at their sister solemnly.

"The two of you better go, and make some distance between me and this irksome creature." Meta said glancing at Mortimer who smirked. "Remember; protect the item at all costs. May the Gods be with you, my sisters."

Tia nodded and began to move. Drea took what may be one final look at her eldest sister. A slight nod from Meta comforted Drea little. Drea kicked the horse slightly to get it moving. Mortimer allowed Drea and Tia to leave.

"Shall I go easy on you?" Mortimer questioned on her frailness.

"I may be old, but I have enough energy to take you on!" Meta snarled.

She threw of her cloak revealing the silvery shining armour that she wore. She drew her sword that gleamed; Mortimer's weapon looked puny compared to Meta's.

The two looked and began circling each other.

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**Copyright ©***

***Anything Original such as new characters and new plot is owned by me.**

**A/N: So chapter 1 over with, I will try to get chapter 2 up as soon as I can.**

**Reviews are much appreciated. Thank you.**

**SoulVirus**


	3. Chapter 2: Sister's Duel

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank you.**

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**A/N:** **Apologies for the late upload, College has been hectic, I have assignments coming out of my ears, you can blame my psychology tutor for that as all my tutor cares about it assignments. Just a short shout out to _White Hunter_ and _The RPG Master_ for their reviews, pass the message along to your friend if you think they will like this story.**

**Enjoy the next chapter.**

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**Dragonheart: The Return**

**Chapter 2**

**Sister's Duel**

"I do enjoy a sword fight." Mortimer said swinging his sword around. "Many a times do I go for beheading my opponents, now and then I have a change of heart. I think I will use the beheading method on your youngest sister. Such a pretty thing. I wonder what fear her eyes will tell me when I am dealing with her!"

"Harm Drea or Tia, and my spirit will claw your insides until you are forced to take your own life." Meta spat as she raised her sword above her head.

"Dark." Mortimer chuckled. He too raised his sword above his head.

Both charged at each other, yelling before both swords clanged with each other sending sparks flying in their eyes blinding them temporarily.

Mortimer yelled, Meta had recovered and swung her sword trying to slash Mortimer's neck, Mortimer's eyesight recovered in time for him to bend backwards as Meta's sword missed by inches to pierce his neck.

Mortimer lunged at Meta, Meta – quick on her feet – dodged his attack by grabbing Mortimer's blade, punching him in the mouth and throwing him against the nearest tree.

Meta looked down at her hand, she wore a thick black glove, but Mortimer's blade had cut through it. She pulled off her glove and threw it to the ground and saw a deep gash wound in the palm of her hand.

"Very energetic, for a cripple!" Mortimer said as he gained his baring's.

"Never judge a book by its cover."

Meta ran and jumped holding her sword high, Mortimer foresaw the attack. He rolled to safety just as Meta's sword struck the tree. Meta easily yanked her sword out of the tree and swung it backhanded.

"Yargh!"Mortimer yelled as he sliced into Meta's wrist, this caused her to drop her sword. Mortimer swung his sword above his head.

Seeing her opportunity, Meta ran and tackled Mortimer where both crashed to the ground. Meta slammed her fist hard into Mortimer's stomach before bringing her elbow down forcibly on his stomach. Meta pushed her elbow further into his stomach, she saw Mortimer turn purple.

She kept her eyes fixed on Mortimer whose face now turned blue, he then stated to shimmer slightly as well–

Meta shook her head, Mortimer was shimmering, and then he began to fade in and out. Meta narrowed her eyes. It wasn't Mortimer, it was her. Something was wrong with her eyesight, she blinked a few times hoping to shake off the effect of whatever it was that was happening to her.

She heard Mortimer chuckle. "Something the matter?"

Meta coughed and spluttered, her head began to burn, and her stomach began to churn violently. She broke off her attempt to crush the air out of Mortimer.

"Oh, thank you, I can breathe easily now." Mortimer said struggling to get to his feet.

Meta tried to stand, but she found her strength had suddenly dissipated. She gasped for air. "Wh-wh-"

"Poison is a nasty piece of work, can take life in silence, without warning, and without mercy." Mortimer held up his sword with pride. "You shouldn't have touched my sword."

Mortimer's voice to Meta sounded like an echo.

It wasn't before long Meta began coughing up her own blood.

"_Namnoir_, in the language of the Shyee it is known as 'the slow death'. Well…that's not exactly true, it's more of a metaphor really."

Meta did her best to crawl away from Mortimer, but he grabbed her by her golden white hair. She didn't have the strength to fight back, her body was going limp, and she continuously coughed up her own blood.

Mortimer brought his blade to her throat. "I told you there would be a death before the end of this night," he whispered into her ear before slowly dragging his blade across her neck.

Meta's eyes widened as all the air rushed out of the tearing wound in her neck. Her eyes dropped and Mortimer dropped her to the floor.

Mortimer regained his posture and looked down the path where the two other sisters had galloped down, he strode down the path leaving Meta to the wolves to feed on.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

Tia was a few paces in front while Drea brought her horse to a trot and stopped. Tia noticed that Drea had brought her horse to a complete stop.

"Drea!" Tia called. "We have to keep going."

"I still think we should go back and assist Meta!" Drea pleaded.

"Our priority right now is the item, we have to get it the other side of Fern Woods!" Tia sounded.

"We can't leave our sister alone with the beasts that lurk in this beastly wood!" Drea pointed out.

"Drea, we have our mission, if we do not get this item to the land of Kilgharrah and into safe hands, the Shyee may find use of it. Meta is strong, she placed her faith in us to get the item away from evil." Reasoned Tia.

"But Meta–"

"Is dead."

Tia and Drea's faces held desperation which fell into fear. Slowly their heads turned to see Mortimer standing in front of them. They never saw him pass by them, they were confused to see how he got in front of them.

"You can't hide from me in Fern Woods, I know these woods." He told them smiling.

"What do you mean, Meta is dead?" Drea asked a slight croaky feel edged in her voice.

Mortimer cocked his head. "Wouldn't she be here rather than I?" he asked the youngest.

Drea's voice quavered. She chocked back a sob.

Mortimer made his move towards the two remaining sisters.

"Back!" Tia shouted where her outstretched hand seemed to force Mortimer back against a tree.

"Taika!" Mortimer sounded surprised.

With her arm outstretched Tia turned to her sister. "Drea, it is up to you now, just keep running and don't stop, do you hear me?"

Drea nodded. "Will I ever see you again?"

"I hope so my dear sister, I hope so." They held each other's gaze. "Now, go!" Tia said smacking the back of the horses' rear end. The last Tia saw of her youngest sister was being swallowed up by the darkness that lingered down the path, which offered a possible way out of Fern Woods.

Tia sighed and released Mortimer from his hold. Tia threw off her cloak, revealing a similar shining silver armour to that of Meta's. Unlike Meta, Tia withdrew two swords from her sides.

Mortimer's eyes glistened with excitement. "Oh, this is going to be good." He said licking his lips.

"It better be." Tia said. She sliced at thin air causing a ripple effect, which sent shock waves towards Mortimer pushing him back against the tree he was pinned too before. Tia sent another shock wave using her swords, except this time Mortimer used his own sword to block the effect. He struggled with effort.

The shock wave diminished and Mortimer saw Tia run at him speedily, her swords raised.

Mortimer jumped and summersaulted over Tia, though he jumped, Tia did her best to strike her opponent. As Mortimer flew overhead, their sword battle had begun.

As Mortimer landed on his feet, Tia swung around only for Mortimer to deflect her attack. With the use of a second sword to her advantage, she held nothing back in using them.

Tia was quick and lethal with her swords and Mortimer seemed to be having slight trouble keeping up with Tia, she managed to inflict a blow by slicing into his right leg, though this did little to slow him down.

Their sword's clanged dully, very often would sparks – generated by the friction of their blades affecting each other – fly in the air.

By a stroke of luck, Tia disarmed Mortimer. "Looks like I win." Tia said bringing down her sword on Mortimer who used his hands to shield himself.

Tia's sword clanged against Mortimer's arm. He was wearing armour underneath his dark clothing. "On the contrary, I think not." Mortimer said as he deflected more of Tia's double sword wielding attacks.

Mortimer who had the upper hand this time, he somehow managed to disarm one of Tia's swords leaving her with one. Though she could manage to combat with just one sword, her advantage was with two.

Mortimer swung his arm towards Tia who ducked and slicing yet another wound onto his right leg. Mortimer grunted. Caught off-guard Mortimer used his left leg and kicked Tia straight into the stomach.

Tia's blue eyes widened. At the sudden pain, she dropped her sword. The force of the kick nocked so much wind out of her that it even dented her armour chest plate. Mortimer grabbed Tia from the floor and twisted her arm. The next thing she heard was a crunch.

"ARGH!" she yelled, though her voice did not carry.

Mortimer forced her to face him. He whacked her in face, where in the process he dislodged her jaw, breaking it.

Tia could no longer speak, but the pain from her arm was so painful the only thing she could do, was mumble.

Mortimer forced her to kneel before he grabbed her head and twisted it. A sickening crunch was heard and Tia fell lopsided onto the floor of Fern Woods.

Mortimer breathed heavily, catching his breath, he laughed. "That was delicious." He said licking his lips and then looking down the path where Drea had travelled down.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

As her horse sped through Fern Woods, which now seemed bent on mirroring each single path and tree and darkness her eyes set on, Drea could not have felt more lost in her life. Granted she was a teen, and relied mostly on her sisters, she felt a heavy amount of burden being placed on her shoulders.

A tear rolled down her eyes as her horse sped through the Woods, she held onto the brown sack with all her might, but most of all, she wanted her sisters. Alone she was open target.

Her mind raced with a range of emotions: fear, dread, guilt, and determination. It was the determination that urged her to carry on, the determination to make it to the other side of Fern Woods, to get to daylight, to get the item in which she clutched tightly to safety.

As her horse ran, she felt a slight gust of wind; she looked up and saw a branch swing down to meet her face. Being small had been an advantage to her as she ducked with the branch missing her by at least two inches.

She looked back at where the branch had tried to swipe her.

Her focus returned onto the path in front of her, where the sound of a tree being ripped from its roots fell onto the path in front of her. Her horse did not falter as it jumped over the massive trunk now lying in the road. Drea's stomach dipped as her horse landed on the other side and hastingly carried on. It seemed that Fern Woods was eager not to let her reach the other side of the woods.

The distance between her and her sister had now grown exponentially. She appeared to be making good time, or so she thought.

As her horse carried on running, she checked to make sure that the item was safe. With her focus on the item, the sudden rush of air flew passed her as she felt herself fly off her horse and landed awkwardly on the hard path.

She raised her head and saw her horse continue onwards without her. She staggeringly got up, checked herself over for any wounds or injury, the only injury she had was the cut on her forehead.

She noticed that her sack was not with her. She eagerly looked around for the sack. She saw it lying on the floor from where she was thrown off the horse.

As she made her move to retrieve the sack, someone stepped into her view and picked it up.

"My masters have waited for years to retrieve this item." Mortimer said as he opened the sack and peeped inside. He gasped in wonder and his black eyes glinted in awe. "It is…beautiful." He said with a cold but tranquil emotion. "How you came to possess this is yet a mystery. But, I thank you for saving us the trouble of finding this."

Drea scrambled to her feet and pulled out her sword. She too, like her sisters was wearing a silver armour.

Mortimer turned his gaze back to the item in the sack.

Drea saw her chance to run.

Mortimer waved his hand.

Springing forth from the ground upwards, hot blue flames appeared in the path before her. Drea came to a full stop. Even as she attempted to near, the heat from the flames started to blister her face and melt her armour.

"The path is blocked." Mortimer said, his eyes still trained on the item in the sack. He reached in to grab the item before a searing hot pain tore across his back. He dropped the bag and saw Drea's hand reach out and grab it.

When he turned to meet Drea, he saw that she held her sword out towards him; her sword covered in the exact blue flame that was blocking the path.

She swung it back and forth, Mortimer keeping his distance.

"Put that down girl before you hurt someone." Mortimer reasoned.

Drea neared and continued waving the flame lit sword more erratically.

"First thing's first. Where are my sisters?" she asked.

Mortimer refrained from telling her, she threatened him again. "Okay, seeing as I am an honest person, I shall tell you: I disposed of them."

Drea's face fell. She slightly lowered her sword. Mortimer made a move only for Drea to regain her previous pose. "Now you are going to tell me how to leave this place!"

Mortimer raised his eyebrows. "You really think I am just going to let you leave? I haven't even had time to play with you yet before I cut your head off!"

He knocked the flame lit sword out of Drea's hand where it landed in a bush and instantly caught fire. He then proceeded to whack Drea in mouth where she flew and landed just short of falling into the path of the blue flame that blocked her path.

Mortimer pulled out his sword and casually walked up to Drea.

Drea held out her hand.

Mortimer looked at her. "What are you – ARGH!"

Mortimer rubbed his head and saw that Drea had summoned her sword, where the hilt whacked itself against the back of Mortimer's head.

Drea stood up and threw her sword at Mortimer's head where he ducked. The sword struck the farthest tree and lit the tree up in a brilliant blue glow.

Mortimer had followed where sword had struck; the next thing he saw when he turned back to Drea was seeing a fist collide with his face. He heard a crunch as Drea's fist struck his nose and broke it.

Mortimer clutched at his nose and saw Drea run towards her sword, where she yanked it free, but yelled as the heat from the blue flame blistered her face. She span around hoping to cut Mortimer down, but he blocked her attack using his own sword.

Mortimer pushed down on Drea's flame lit sword; he saw that the flame was cutting, literally melting through his own sword.

The top half of his sword melted off.

Drea saw her chance and whacked him full on in the face with the hilt of her sword. Mortimer fell backward and knocked his head on the ground.

Drea raced towards the flames that blocked her path. She had no choice but to go through them. She saw that the path was covered in flames as far as her eyes could see.

Drea looked back at Mortimer, who was out for the count. She looked back at the path, she held the sack real close, she knew that the item inside would be safe, even if the sack burnt away.

She had already suffered some burns to her face, what more pain could she bare from the flames, either way, she had to pass through them.

Taking a deep breath, Drea raced through the fire.

Her blonde silver hair caught fire instantly, and her face blistered, her skin peeling off like wallpaper. Her screams echoed throughout Fern Woods like a wailing banshee. Her armour began to melt and fuse to her body, her blood began to boil, and her hair had burnt all the way down to her scalp.

She had no idea how much pain she was in, she was not even sure if it was pain she was feeling.

As Drea walked through the fire lit path, her screams woke Mortimer from his slumber. Realizing what had happened; he quickly got up and looked down the path where he saw Drea staggeringly walking through the fire lit path.

Mortimer could not believe what he was seeing, the determination on this young girl was…he could not think of the word, just looking at Drea braving and enduring the pain of the flames that was lashing to her actually scared Mortimer. He would have gone after her, but even he was not brave enough to do what Drea had done.

Mortimer watched as the flames engulfed Drea.

As he watched, a slight whispering in the wind called out to him. He looked up at the darkening trees. "_Come…_" the voice, whispered to him.

Mortimer swallowed and looked fearful.

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**Copyright ©***

***Anything original such as new character and new plot is owned by me.**

**A/N: What did you think, if you have read my previous Dragonheart story you can see how different it is, I will agree it is much darker and different than the my first story, and it will get much dark as we go on. **

**Reviews would be nice, and if you want to throw ideas at me, go ahead, I will see if I can include them in my story. See you soon. (If college will allow me)**

**SoulVirus**


	4. Chapter 3: Caleb

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank you.**

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**A/N: Here is chapter 3, apologies for the late upload, college is one again proofing somewhat…troubling for me. I will spare you the details.**

**It may be a short chapter, but it seems to be working for me. I am not sure about you, but this chapter for me seems a bit rushed, well, I will let you decide that. **

**A big shout out for _The RPG Master_, thank you for your review, appreciate it loads. Keep spreading the word.**

**Onto Chapter 3, see you at the bottom.**

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**Dragonheart: The Return **

**Chapter 3**

**Caleb**

Dawn approached, the clouds blood red as the sun slowly rose. A hint of fresh scented mint blew in the wind. However, the fresh-minted smell never neared the rim of Fern Woods.

Situated just within its reach was the quaint village of Drumstone, a village that lived in fear of Fern Woods and the power that it held.

Separating Drumstone and Fern Woods was a field that barely anyone would step into for it lead directly into the path of Fern Woods.

At times, the teenage folk of Drumstone would dare those to walk as near as possible to Fern Woods to prove their worth and nerve, most boys would walk through the field and try and touch the wood of Fern Woods to prove their love to the women of their dreams. No one has managed such a feat.

Drumstone was a poor village, though not as poor as those who lived in the dumps or to be thrown out of their homes for falling behind on taxes. The village of Drumstone was able to make ends meet; there was enough food and water to last the year around and into the next.

Houses and outhouses were built from wood, mud, and straw. A series of pigpens, stables, and assortments of animal patches had been attached to many of the wooden houses, some even harboured vegetable patches.

A cockerel signalled the rising sun and the start of the new day. Slowly the village folk of Drumstone woke from their night's sleep.

It is at this point in our story where a young seventeen-year-old boy called Caleb Johnson appears. Caleb was still asleep in his bed with the white bed sheets covering his whole body. On the third "cock-a-doodle-doo" in which the cockerel song, a groan came from under the sheets.

Throwing back his sheet Caleb sat up and yawned loudly, he scratched his curly blonde hair before flattening it. He got out of his bed and stretched widely before spending a moment looking out of his window at the light that streamed through his windowless window, he heard the faint twittering of birds as music flowed into his room.

Caleb walked out of his room into the main part of his home bare chested, wearing nothing on his feet except for the brown baggy trousers he wore the day previously to bed. The stove, which contained a small spark from the previous night's meal, still burnt, refusing to go out. The wooden table where a few leftovers from the meal in which Caleb's family had eaten remained.

Caleb sighed, grabbed a wooden bucket, and scooped up all the scraps into it.

He left his home through the front door and walked barefooted around to the back of the house. The floor was soft and smooth and Caleb enjoyed the way it messaged the soles of his feet.

Around the back of the house, six pigs were already up and trotting around the pen, Caleb tipped the bucket full of food into the trough and saw the pigs trot on over to the trough and greedily eat the scraps.

"Eat up pig's." Caleb said to the animals in the pen. "Waste nothing, as my father says." He said to the pigs who ignored him. "You lot waste nothing, do you? You just eat and eat." He left the pigs to their breakfast and went back inside.

He headed back into his bedroom to get dressed. He pulled over his cotton white shirt that his mother had made him for his fifteenth birthday; it was slightly bigger than he was but over time, he grew into it.

He pulled out from under his bed his thick leather boots and placed them on covering up his feet.

He entered back into the main part of the house where emerging from another part of the room came his father, short, and slightly broad around the stomach area, he scratched his beard and gave a sharp yawn as he bid his son a pleasurable morning.

"I see you are up early my boy," his father said cheerfully.

"I have a few things to tend to before my training father." Caleb said. "I am going to the crop field to gather some more food before the trade in two days' time."

"Ah, of course!" his father boasted loudly. "I feel we may make more gold and silver with the amount of food we have grown over the last few months. Our outhouse will need emptying soon. But, when you are knighted, we shan't have to worry about our crop as much, with the income in which you will produce, we shall be able to buy new lodgings, new accommodation's, just imagine it son." The father smiled.

"You will have a long wait father; you don't become a knight over the course of the night."

"Nevertheless, a knight you shall be, your unborn brother, or sister will look up to you in the future, and you will be an inspiration to your sibling."

Caleb smiled at the thought. "I would like that." He bid his father farewell and left.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

The walk to the crop fields was short, by the time Caleb arrived at the crop field the sun had risen providing light across the land.

The crop field was quiet and but a few farmers were present tending to their crops.

Caleb pulled many assortments of grown food from their place and stacked them high on a cart that he left in the crop fields at time to ease the trips back and forth to deliver the food to the outhouse where he and his father stashed the food for the Trade.

He planted more seeds in the earth and watered them. As he tended to the crop, a shadow fell over the patch he was working on.

He sighed, and looked up into the faces of four figures that blocked out the sunlight.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Johnson!" said one of the figures.

Caleb sighed and stood up. "What do you want Merc? I haven't got time to play games."

"Someone has to keep an eye on you in-case you steal again, remember what happened last time?" Merc said.

"I don't steal!" Caleb retorted.

Merc stepped over the patch of earth that Caleb was working on. Merc was roughly the same height as Caleb and the same age, Merc had black spiked hair, which he always gelled in the morning. He also had a crooked nose.

"How's the nose?" Caleb smirked.

Merc brought a hand up to his nose and gently touched it. His misty blue eyes narrowed into a sinister frown followed by a slight smile. "Thanks to you I am getting loads of girls."

"What about your servants?" Caleb gestured to the three slightly thin boys who remained silent whilst Merc and Caleb spoke. "Don't they get a chance to ravel in some…beauty?"

"They do, from time to time, only when I say they do."

"So much for free will," Caleb said to him

Merc snorted and then looked at the food that Caleb had already placed in the cart. He inspected it. "You seemed to have made quite a good grow this year with your food; you will definitely soar during the Trade." Merc said giving a slight nod to one of his friends.

Caleb saw one of Mercs friends walk off to another part of the crop field and onto someone else's property and pick something up.

"Tell me Caleb, I forget, do they allow you into the Trade if you are accused of stealing?" Merc asked frowning uncertainly.

"Only if that person is caught," Caleb told him.

Merc nodded. "Let's say that you stole something from this crop field and someone, say, a knight caught you, and what would that mean for you?"

Caleb frowned.

"For one, you will be stripped of your position as a knight in training, losing the opportunity to become a knight, not to mention, that no land on this earth will grant you the status of training to become a knight as you will be nothing more than thief." Merc snarled.

"And how are you going to prove to someone that I am a thief when I haven't stolen anything?" Caleb asked.

"Oh, but you have stolen something." Merc looked over to one of his friends who threw something green to Caleb. Caleb caught it and saw that he was holing a cabbage plucked clean from a sector that was not his own. "Oh, dear, Johnson, this does not bode well for you!"

Caleb held the Cabbage in his hands before looking up at Merc and his bullies.

"Thief!" Merc yelled aloud. "Thief in the crop field!"

Caleb saw those present in the crop field raise their heads in the direction of Mercs' yelling.

It took Caleb only a minute to process what was actually transpiring; Merc and his friends were trying to get him into trouble.

Caleb quickly made a dash for his life.

"After him!" Merc said to his friends, and quickly they pursued directly after Caleb.

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**Copyright ©***

***Anything original such as new character and new plot is owned by me.**

**A/N: Short I know, but be honest, what did you think? Good or bad? Review to let me know. **

**Just to remind you, I will keep the original story uploaded for a while until this story reaches the exact same point as that of the original and then I will take the original down.**

**SoulVirus**


	5. Chapter 4: Burned

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank You.**

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**A/N: Okay people, here is chapter 4. I know it VERY LATE, but I have had problems as of late, mainly internet wise.**

**I must point out that from tomorrow forth, the uploads may be limited, as I am starting University tomorrow, you can badger me as much as you want, but it won't make me upload any faster, and I have heard that University will take up much of my time, nothing I can do about that. Just keep an eye out on the update section.**

**Thank to all who reviewed my last chapter.**

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**Dragonheart: The Return **

**Chapter 4**

**Burned **

Caleb ran the whole length from the crop field and back through the village of Drumstone with the lettuce still under his arm, though he was not sure why he kept the lettuce with him.

He sped through the village with Merc and his friends still running after him, though he gained a fair distance, he was surprised at how determined they were to catch him and get him into trouble. Caleb's training came in use. His mentor taught him that speed was essential when on the battlefield, distance was the advantage needed in any war.

Caleb chanced a quick glance behind him and saw Merc and his three goons rushing after him.

Caleb picked up the pace, he took his chance by jumping into a muddy pig pen in which he fell face first into the sloshy mud. Three pigs squealed in alarm as Caleb jumped into their pen. The lettuce that was in Caleb's arm became buried in the mud, he decided to leave the lettuce for the pig, and quickly scrambled out of the muddy den. Luckily, Caleb was trained in how to get out of sticky situations, and mud covered that situation.

Caleb jumped out of the mud-filled pen whilst the three pigs dug into the lettuce that was left behind.

Merc and his goons ran around the side of the pen and pursued after Caleb.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

Caleb had managed to pace some distance between him and the four goons who were still pursuing to catch him, they were persistent Caleb offered them that.

Caleb did not know how many times he had to cut corners to avoid Merc and his friends, no matter where he ran or hid, either Merc or his goons were there, waiting for him.

Somehow, Caleb managed to evade them, though he could not shake them off his tail.

Eventually, Caleb took the chase into the field and headed straight towards Fern Woods. He did not mean to intentionally lead them into the fields towards Ferns Woods; his instinct just drove him there.

"Johnson!" Merc's voice carried out to him.

Caleb came to an abrupt stop when he realized that he had come to the base of Fern Woods, he cursed. He was trapped, and he was unlikely to go into Fern Wood just to escape the bullies that were after him, even if he did, Caleb knew Merc would never venture into Fern Woods, he was not that brave.

Caleb turned around and saw Merc and his friend come to a crawl and a stop.

Merc chuckled. "Ran out of places to hide have you?"

Caleb said nothing. He watched Merc walk up to him. "I am going to enjoy this!" he said raising his fist.

Caleb clenched his eyes shut and waited for the beating. It never came.

He opened his eyes and saw fear flood the eyes of Merc and his friends. They slowly backed away from him; Caleb threw them a curious look. It was not long before Merc and his friends broke into a run and sped back to Drumstone.

Caleb watched them.

A soft rustling from behind him caused him to slowly turn around and face Fern Woods.

Stepping forth into the sun and out from the ferocious woods, Caleb's blue eyes set sight on a grotesque figure that limped towards his, gasping heavily, it's blue sparkling eyes wide in shock. It bounded forth and collapsed into Caleb who caught the figure.

Gently he laid the person down on the floor. It appeared to be a knight from what he gathered from the burnt and rusted armour that was fused to the skin of the person, but this person looked far too young to be a knight.

Caleb did not know what to do. He thought. "Hold on, I will carry you to get help." He said.

"No!" the person wheezed. Caleb gasped slightly, it was a girl, he would never have guessed, she was too badly scarred and unrecognisable. "Please!" she strained. "I need…you…to…"

"Ssh! Save your breath, I will get you to someone to help, the village I live in is just over there." Caleb pointed to Drumstone.

"No time..." she said. She brought forth a sack that was surprisingly unharmed and intact, save for a few black patches of soot. "Protect this…with all your…life," the girl said. "Make sure…no one…finds it…" the girl gasped and groaned.

"What's your name?" Caleb asked.

"D…Drea!" Drea stammered.

"Drea, stay with me, I am going to get you help."

"No!" Drea said faintly. "The sack…protect the sack…get it too…"

Drea's words stopped there.

"Get it too where?" Caleb asked. "Drea, get it too where?" Caleb shook her slightly, Drea did not move. She laid there, motionless, her blue eyes still open, looking directly at him.

Caleb instinctively closed her eyes. He had never seen someone die in front of him before, and he was relatively calm and unfazed by what had just happened, though he did feel sorry for Drea, how she was able to survive this long whilst suffering such excruciating pain, he did not know.

Caleb took the sack that was on Drea's stomach. He did not open the sack, but he inspected the sack itself. "Get it to where?" he asked himself.

He looked back at Drea's lifeless corpse.

Gently he touched the top of her forehead.

As he did this, her entire body began to glow in the most beautiful golden glow Caleb had ever seen, though it startled him a little. He stood back and watched as Drea's body was engulfed by this stunning golden light.

Then her body exploded into tiny particles of golden light, similar to tiny miniature fireflies, which flew upwards towards the cloud. Caleb assumed and he was rightly so in thinking that this was Drea's soul, heading towards the afterlife, to rest in peace.

Caleb sighed. He wanted to cry but a bout of guilt surged through him, maybe because he could not save her. However, he promised to protect and look after the sack.

Caleb looked back at the sack; he thought it best to keep it sealed shut until he got home.

He strolled back to the village putting distance between himself and Fern Woods.

By the time he got back into Drumstone, Caleb felt a sense of safeness around him, being so close to Fern Woods was enough to place him out of his own comfort zone.

As he made his way back to his home, Caleb inspected the sack. "What is so important about you I wonder?" He mused to himself.

Caleb continued in his walk home. Halfway home and still looking at the sack in which he carried, Merc voiced his presence and stood before him.

"Going somewhere, Johnson?"

Caleb looked up and saw Merc and his goons standing in a line, their arms raised, in each palm of their hands, they held assortments of vegetables.

Caleb's eyes widened and soon the splattering and squishing of tomatoes and eggs were pelted at him.

* * *

**Copyright ©***

***Anything original such as new character and new plot is owned by me.**

**So there you are, after a long wait, chapter 4, leave a review on what you think. Next chapter will be up when I get a chance.**

**SoulVirus**


	6. Chapter 5: Getting Ready

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank You.**

* * *

**A/N: Here is chapter 5, I know it has been a while, but as it is Christmas, I am now going to focus on posting as many chapters of this story as I can.**

I do not know how people have reviewed this story or have read it, but thank you all for just reading this story, even if it is for just one chapters only. And a big shout out to The Poke-Expert who has given me some motivation to work on and for spreading word of my story around to people.

I am shutting up now. Enjoy.

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**Dragonheart: The Return **

**Chapter 5**

**Getting Ready**

The smell of breakfast that was being cooked in the kitchen – located in the main section of the home, which was a small cottage – awoke Caleb's mother.

Caleb's mother threw off the sheet that covered her during her sleep at night, and threw her legs over the side of the hay mattress bed she now sat on. She breathed heavily as she held the underside of her stomach of their unborn child.

She struggled to stand up, but she managed it, she left the small room and walked into the main section of the home where she saw her husband bent over the stove dishing up breakfast. She quietly walked over and sat down in a chair that creaked under her weight.

Caleb's father – still bent over the stove – turned to look at his wife. He let out a soft laugh. He walked over to her and knelt down, tenderly stroking his wife's stomach.

"Did you sleep well, my love?" he asked her.

"I did." She nodded.

Caleb's father planted a tender kiss on her stomach. "Not long now." He said. His wife smiled.

Caleb's father got up, walked over to the stove, and provided his wife with a bowl of fresh hot steaming stew. It was not much, a few potatoes, onions, and carrots, at least they got to eat and satisfy their hunger.

"Eat up, my love." He told her before joining her. "Where is that boy? He should have returned by now." Caleb's father said.

"Do not fret about him, he has a lot going for him these days, his training as a knight is becoming more complex, he has to tend to the crop ready for the trade. He is a busy boy our Caleb." The wife said sipping the stew with her wooden spoon.

"I am thinking I push him to hard." The father said.

"He did offer to help out, he wanted to make sure that no strain was placed on your shoulders so you can help out whilst I am expecting."

"Strain, I think that boy puts more strain on himself than he does lifting all the strain off our shoulders." The father said.

Of all the people in Drumstone, Caleb's father could not believe how amazing it was to have a son that thought nothing more than to help out his own parents.

The door to the home opened slowly and a shadowy silhouette of a young man stood just over the threshold. Caleb walked into his home, closed the door, and sighed, he did not look at all happy. He was covered in egg shells, white powder of flower, green bits of cabbage clung to him and hints of red juice smothered his face.

Caleb's parents stared at him.

"Hello, son." His father greeted.

Caleb grunted a reply.

"Is that…blood on your face?" Caleb's mother asked worryingly.

Caleb shook his head. "It's tomatoes, to be honest with you."

Caleb's mother relaxed a little.

"And what exactly happened?" Caleb's father asked.

Caleb told his parents of what Merc and his friends had done to Caleb in the harvesting fields. He told them of the race through the village, but left the bit about the girl he found burned out of the story.

The father sighed. "You always have problems with Merc and his friends, I will speak to their parents later on if I can catch them, talk to them about their children's disruptive behaviour."

"While you are doing that, I am going to clean myself off. I smell like a badly gone off stew." Caleb said as he left his parents and retreated to his room.

Once in his room, Caleb walked to his window where at the base the sack in which before he entered his home, he discreetly and gently placed it through his window and onto the floor. He did not want his parents knowing about this sack. He told his parents everything, there was no secrets in his family, but what he had encountered at the rim of Fern Woods, the girl and this sack, something told him to keep it a secret, from everyone around him.

Caleb washed himself off, placed on a new set of clothes, and got his armour ready for his day training. Before he placed his armour on him, he looked at the sack.

He wanted to open it and peek inside but thought against it, after all, it was not his, and whatever was inside the sack, did not belong him.

He placed on his armour.

He grabbed the sack and placed it under his bed right at the very back so that his mother will not find it. She always had the habit of coming into his room if his bed was not made. However, in the last few months, due to her pregnancy, she had not ventured into his room much.

He left his room.

He presented himself to his parents who looked at him in awe at the sight of his armour in which he wore. His entire body was shielded; his arms were covered in stainless steel, as were his legs. He wore black thick padded gloves; a belt was tied around his waist with his sword in its sheath. Caleb pulled out his sword, it gleamed like a diamond, he held it up in front of him as he tested its balance and weight, he gave a two twirls around his head and waved is thrice to test its usefulness. He would do this every time before he left for training.

"I do wish you would not do that in the house!" his father said looking at him sternly.

Caleb apologized and pocketed his sword back into its sheath. His father walked up to him and placed a green hooded cloak around him for his journey. "Have fun, my boy."

Caleb smiled and laughed slightly. He walked up to his mother and kissed her on the cheek. "Don't go having the baby when I am away."

"I will try and not to, but I cannot make any promises." The mother said.

Caleb bid his parents farewell and left his home ready for his day training as a knight.

* * *

**Copyright ©***

***Anything original such as new character and new plot is owned by me.**

**I know this is a short chapter, but they will get longer, of course that depends on what I want to be in the chapter. Keep your eyes open because I plan to upload chapter 6 later on in the evening.**

**SoulVirus**


	7. Chapter 6: Training

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank You.**

* * *

**A/N: I promised another chapter by the end of the night, so her is chapter 6, slightly longer than the previous chapter.**

Thanks to MMM and White Hunter (I have amended that one bit you asked me to do) for their reviews. And also thank you to whoever is reading this story.

Enough of me, enjoy.

* * *

**Dragonheart: The Return **

**Chapter 6**

**Training**

Caleb walked from his home, through Drumstone and passed a wide-open field. He passed a few farmers who were travelling back from the harvesting fields who bid him a good morning, some bowed at him.

He passed two girls who were slightly older than he was who blushed at the sight of him; he even heard them giggle slightly. The best thing about being a knight was that people recognized him; he half expected one of the girls from Drumstone to ask him out and to be his other half. Though smitten he was already by the next heir and ruler of the land, Princess Freya, daughter of King Axis.

His mentor, who taught him on becoming a knight, mentioned that if wanted, a knight may ask for Freya's hand in marriage by order of the King, though no knight had successfully won the princess's heart, if the opportunity ever arrived he was sure to ask Freya for her hand in marriage.

The only downside was that Freya would decline his offer for marriage. He had not thought of this, even so he was not sure how he would react to being let down. He was going to have to accept her choice if he ever got the chance to meet her.

Caleb was by far the least handsome and attractive boy in Drumstone, he would class himself as average. He had yet to attract himself a lover, though there were a handful of girls his age who he had his eye on, they just did not meet up to his expectations. Most girls his age were looking for one thing and one thing in particular: sex. This put Caleb off the girls he liked completely. He wanted to be more than just a toy to them; he wanted someone who could respect him for who he was.

Caleb thought about all those girls he had his eyes on when he came of age and began noticing them. However, they were merely petty crushes as opposed to falling in love with them. He had to admit though many were attractive looking, there were those who were below attractiveness, those who had no hope of gaining a mate, the 'ugly' people as folk in Drumstone would have dubbed them.

Caleb remembered at one time of this girl who was neither attractive but in his eyes, Caleb found her attractive anyway, maybe it was because of the way she used to let people bully her and call her names, she did not strike back, in fact she ignored them. However, it was odd for him to fall for a girl who was not pretty, but he liked her. He had planned to talk to her the next day, but her father had her married to some farmer in another part of the land of England, too far for Caleb to cross.

As he thought of this girl, his mind raced back to the girl he found burnt at the rim of Fern Woods. He wondered if she too held any beauty before succumbing to whatever deadly fire burnt her. He wondered if she had a family, friends even? More so, what happened to her body? It just vanished in a brilliant golden glow.

_Drea_, Caleb thought, _She called herself Drea, what beautiful name, and what a terrible way to die. _Caleb shed a tear for Drea, though he did not know her. He would carry her name and thought forever.

Then his mind strayed to the sack in which Drea gave him, the sack that he thought best not to open. Had Drea held on a bit longer, she would have told him where to take the sack, but what could he do with it now, but keep it hidden was all he could do for the time being. More so, he wondered what was so important about the sack and what contents it held.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

The castle's courtyard where Caleb's training took place would usually be bustling with people from villages scattered around the kingdom. The courtyard was quiet when Caleb looked around.

The courtyard was spread out into a massive square shaped area. In two days' time, this courtyard would become the centre of attention for the whole kingdom for when the Trade happens.

Caleb looked around and noticed just how quiet it was, it was strange, usually when his training would take place, a large gathering of crowds would attend to watch the training, people did like to see a good show.

Caleb turned his attention toward the overhead balcony where King Axis would stand to address the kingdom on the most important notices. His daughter Princes Frey would at times stand on the balcony and watch the trainings take place. Today however she was not present.

"Caleb!" a gruff voice called over to him. "You are late!"

Caleb looked over to see his mentor, a tall man, who was middle aged, most likely in his fifties with a white greying facial hair covering his face which travelled up to the sides of his temples, and joined with his white growing hair which was in need of a trim. His eyes were grey and stern. His mentor wore shielding and padding, he appeared to be leaning on a stick.

Behind him were several students all training to become knights.

"Apologies, Master Owen." Caleb said bowing.

Owen shook his head at his student. "FALL IN!" Owen shouted. All students formed a circle all in their suits of armour and carrying their swords.

Owen looked and surveyed his students.

"As you all know Magic, otherwise known as Taika, is forbidden to be used in the world, unless given permission. Taika has not been used since the before the great Draig Draco gave his life to end Einon's reign. However, in any case…" Owen paused and walked around the circle that his students entrapped him in, each step he took, his wooden stick clunked dully onto the stone floor. "…dark forces have no regard for the rules, they see it as a manipulative way to keep order, and I can guarantee you all that any manner of dark forces will attempt to use Taika in any way possible."

A hand raised into the air.

"Yes, Master Waters?"

"Master, surely not all Taika is evil, surely Taika can be used for good."

Owen nodded his head. "Taika can be used for good, yes indeed. But, it depends on the person using the Taika for it to be classed as dark magic or not."

"Then that should only apply to the person." Caleb said aloud. Owen turned to face him. "It's the person who is using the Taika that can be classed as evil or good, not the Taika itself."

A slight smile appeared on Owen's face. "While the matter of who used Taika is a debate in itself, brings us on to today's training." Owen straightened himself. "Today we are going to try something new." His voice seemed to carry around the whole courtyard even in his gentler tone. "By permission of King Axis himself, we shall be learning how to avoid unfriendly fire during combat."

"By unfriendly fire you mean…?" A student asked leaving the question hanging.

"I shall be using Taika."

Few students shuffled uneasily in their armour.

"Remember, in any battle, there will be obstacles in which you need to avoid, but ask yourself, are you ready to battle your opponent head on with all manner of Taika thrown at you?"

No one answered him.

"We have four new recruits joining us today,"

Caleb's ears pricked at this news.

"Please give a hearty welcome to Gregory Holland, Errol Young, and William Punter and…"

Caleb held his breathe.

"Merc Lingman!"

Caleb saw Merc and his three goons step forward, all four of them standing proud with their noses high up in the air, all four of them wore the shiniest armour that any of the students ever saw. Caleb groaned when he found out that Merc and his goons had joined.

"Look at them, bunch of snobs!" Caleb heard one of the students say.

"Why are they sticking their noses up in the air?"

Caleb smiled at the fact that Merc and his goons were already getting a negative outcome.

"Seeing as they are new recruits, I thought it be best for them to take on their first ever combat lesson with Taika being thrown at them."

A ripple of "YEAH!" erupted from the students. Caleb smirked.

"So, who wants to go first?" Owen asked.

All students stood back slightly.

"CALEB!" Owen shouted. "You and Master Punter shall go in first."

Caleb sighed. He stepped forth. "As you wish, Master," He said.

Caleb waked up to the Merc and his goons.

Merc smiled crookedly. "Fancy seeing you here, Johnson," he sniggered.

Caleb threw him a dark look.

Merc gestured to his own armour. "Do you like? My father made them for us, the finest armour in the trade."

"And what, pray tell, persuaded you to join to become a knight?" Caleb asked. "To make my life hell I suppose?"

"Why the riches of course, think about it Johnson, with us a knights we can do whatever we want, girls, gold, you name it." Merc smiled devilishly.

"You mean you are in this for sport?"

Merc looked offended. "A blatant expression,"

"Masters Johnson and Punter, please step forth."

Caleb held his gaze on Merc who continued to smile at him. "Don't want to keep us waiting, chum!"

Caleb sighed softly through his nose.

All students stood in a wide-open circle so they could get a clear view of Caleb and William. Both boys walked into the middle of the courtyard.

Owen raised his hands in the air. Rising from the ground a shimmer that looked like invisible gas rose and formed a rounded barrier between the students watching William and Caleb.

"Do not worry, I have cast a shield so no Taika will accidently strike you, we do not want any injuries here today." Owen said reassuring his students. "Caleb, William, stand front!"

Caleb and William faced each other, their posture straight.

"Draw swords!"

Caleb and William drew their swords at the exact same time.

"First person to forfeit, unless I say so, loses. Objective is simple, subdue your opponent whilst avoiding the Taika I throw at you, I will start off low and with each passing Taika the power will increase." Owen told them.

Caleb and William nodded their head to acknowledge their understanding.

"Begin!"

Caleb and William stared at each other, Caleb's blue eyes locked with William's green eyes. Caleb inspected Williams's build, he was slightly buffer than Caleb and a bit taller by at least two inches or so, whether he was any good at combat Caleb was about to find out.

They began by circling each other, their arms stretched out to their sides and the tips of their swords just inches away from touching the ground.

_This is going to be easy_. Caleb thought to himself.

Without any warning, William charged raising his sword high. Caleb anticipated his attack by stepping to one side and tripping him. William stumbled and collided with the invisible barrier. He bounced off the barrier and landed onto the ground, his armour clunking in the process.

A smattering of laughs and chuckles came from the students.

_That was predictable. _Thought Caleb.

William jumped to his feet feeling slightly embarrassed.

Caleb smiled at him.

William's green eyes narrowed.

Yelling out a war cry, William lunged. Deflecting his sword away from him, Caleb tapped William on the stomach. "Point one for me." Caleb said before tapping him again on the back. "Point two for me. I have killed you twice now."

"Grrr!" William said. He began twirling his sword in his hand. With anger he began dealing killing blows down on Caleb's sword.

Caleb held onto his sword tightly as William yelled and screamed mustering all the strength he had to disarm him.

Caleb kicked William back enough just to regain his position.

"YARGH!" William yelled. He brought his sword down heavily on Caleb. Caleb used his sword block William's attack. Their swords clanged and both struggled to gain the upper hand. "You might as well give up Johnson; I am never going to back down!" William strained.

"Neither…am…I!" Caleb said through gritted teeth pushing William back.

As the two students continued in their combat, their mentor watched them, he made mental notes on their fighting skills. He noticed how determined William appeared to be, he seemed to use all his strength to deliver an all-out blow, but he lacked any form of battle strategy. He also seemed to slow down on his combat moves after putting his energy into his all-out blows. Not only that, he too was predictable in his fighting.

Caleb on the other hand was a far better fighter than William Owen had observed. Caleb was his best student. Usually Caleb would plan out his strategy of attack, he would have figured out his opponent's weakness by now. But Owen realised he seemed to be lagging today.

"_Fierra._" Owen said. Two balls of fire appeared in the palms of his hands and he threw them towards Caleb and William.

Seeing the balls off fire heading towards them, William and Caleb broke off their battle. Caleb dived to one side while William used his sword to deflect the ball of fire away from him.

Both balls of fire struck and bounced off the shield and headed straight back towards the two students.

Caleb watched one of the balls of fires movements and deflected it using his sword towards William.

William who was keeping his eye on the second ball of fire, had no idea that the ball of flame Caleb directed was nearing him.

"William watch–" Merc began to say, though he was too late as the ball of fire struck William in the back, luckily he was wearing his armour.

Owen conjured up two more balls of flame and threw them in random directions.

Outside the invisible barrier, most of the students were cheering Caleb on. "C'mon Caleb you can do this!"

Both William and Caleb watched as the now three fireballs bounced around the small arena they were in.

"This is a combat situation you two, _fight!_" Owen told them.

William eyed Caleb and ran towards him. He swung his sword at Caleb's head who ducked just in time.

"We are not trying to kill anyone here, Master Punter!" Owen reminded.

William ignored his mentor and took another swing at Caleb who again ducked. Caleb deflected his opponents attack and took a swipe at his leg.

Caleb rolled thrice on the floor as William brought his sword crashing down. Somehow he managed to nick Caleb on the side of his neck, drawing blood.

Merc and his two goons chuckled slightly, they were also impressed at Williams's anger.

"Master William, contain your anger!" Owen called.

William yet again ignored his mentors' instructions.

Caleb was able to trip William where he landed face first into the ground. Caleb was about to call a forfeit had one of the balls of flames not struck him in the stomach knocking him backwards.

William pushed himself up, his nose was bleeding and he had cut his upper lip during the fall. He saw Caleb lying on the floor, winded. He ducked just as a ball of flame passed over his head. He knelt down and began to viciously punch Caleb repeatedly in the face.

"Master Punter that will do!" Owen said.

William did not seem to hear him. In his anger, William repeatedly punched Caleb until his right eye had swollen, his nose was bleeding and his lip was cut.

Owen clicked his hands, the balls of fire flamed out to a sizzle, and the barrier dissipated. Owen ran up to William and tried to pry him off. Some of the students assisted. "Master Punter,_ stop this at once_!"

Eventually they managed to pry William off of Caleb. Several students pulled William away from the scene.

"Caleb, can you hear me?" Owen asked as he saw Caleb catch his breath. His face was swollen and bloodied. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Owen said as he picked Caleb up from the ground. "I think we best call it a day. Apologises if you didn't get the chance to combat anyone today, join me here tomorrow morning where we will resume our training." He said to everyone before setting his eyes on William. "As for you Master Punter, we shall discuss your actions later!"

All the students looked at Caleb, most concerned; others looked at William who were slightly unnerved by his skills.

Merc, Gregory and Errol approached William and congratulated him, which seemed to heighten Williams's spirits.

As Caleb was carried away by Owen, William kept his eyes on his target which was Caleb, as Merc and Gregory continued to congratulate him, Errol sensed a change in his friend. William was never violent, mischievous: yes. But this new William, put Errol on edge.

* * *

**Copyright ©***

***Anything original such as new character and new plot is owned by me.**

I will get the next chapter up as soon as possible.

SoulVirus


	8. Chapter 7: The Syee

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank You.**

* * *

**A/N: Apologies for the late upload; I have been busy in my pursuit of becoming an author. Anyway, here is the long awaited Chapter 7 and we get to see what the main antagonists look like in this chapter. HINT: Just look at cover.**

A special thank you to all who have patiently read and reviewed my story thus far, I will make a firm thank you and dedication at the very end of this story.

* * *

**Dragonheart: The Return **

**Chapter 7**

**The Shyee**

Caleb sat in Owen's quarters, though his actual home was located just outside of Drumstone. Owen's quarters resembled that of a small library, shelves full of books and scrolls littered the bookcases. A varnished wooden oak chair and table sat in the middle of the room. Situated within Owen's quarters was a small walk in cupboard that he used for medicinal purposes.

Owen walked out of the small room that buffeted Caleb with many aromas of lavender and honey combined. He approached Caleb whose face had swollen and covered almost his whole left side. "Here." He said placing a bowl of water on the floor and wringing out a white cloth.

Caleb winced as the warm water, mixed with whatever concoction of ingredients Owen had blended within, to his face.

"Master Punter did a right number on you." Owen declared. Caleb's non swollen eye blinked. He took hold of the cloth and held it firmly to his face. He could feel whatever herbs Owen had used already beginning to take effect; it literally took away the pain the life side of his face.

Owen retreated to his medicine room. Caleb heard him rummaging around. After a short while, he reappeared, whisking something in a bowl that looked like green goo. "So what happened, Caleb?"

Caleb turned to face his mentor. "I'm sorry?"

"What happened?" Owen replied. Caleb wasn't exactly sure what his mentor was asking of him. "You seem a little off, distracted. In my lessons you give it your all. Today you seemed as if something was bothering you."

Indeed Caleb did feel distracted. "I have had a few things on my mind as of late..."

Owen nodded. "Would you care to talk about it?" he offered.

Caleb remained quiet and averted his mentor's grey ageing eyes.

"I understand." Owen said.

_If only._ Thought Caleb, he could never understand what he had been through over the last couple of hours. Running from Merc and his goons seemed to be one thing in particular if not minor, but it was Drea's burnt body that stuck with him more than anything. Not to mention the way she vanished in a beautiful golden glow, how could Owen understand that he had just seen a death of someone so young and yet something so incredible?

"Hmm." Owen said as he finished whisking the green goo in the bowl and tasting it. "It is ready." He took the cloth Caleb held to his face. Then he proceeded to gently smother Caleb's face with the green goo. "That should make the swelling go down." He told him to which Caleb nodded.

Owen straightened himself and sighed. "Don't take this wrong way Caleb, I personally think, after today's training antics that you…take a few days leave."

Caleb looked up at his mentor, his one good blue narrowed. "What?" he stood up.

"Just so that you can heal. You are my top student Caleb. I'd hate it if something dreadful were to happen to you." Owen explained.

"Master," began Caleb. "I think I am perfectly capable of continuing my training despite a few punches to the face."

"I am sorry Caleb." Owen said shaking his head. "I cannot allow what happened today to happen again. Take a few days off. You have worked yourself hard over the last sixteen days, and as your mentor, I order you to take a couple of days off."

Caleb sighed.

"Just a couple of days that is all I am asking, and when you are back to full health come and see me. Spend some time with your family…" Owen noticed the anger in Caleb's non-swollen eye. "I shall see you at the Trade in two days' time, we can talk then."

Caleb sighed quietly – though in an aggravated manner – and nodded at his mentor's words.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

It was strange that Owen's quarters where he worked was located just one floor above the dungeons. Caleb never understood why a professional Knight such as Owen would insist on having an office of sorts so close to the dungeons.

Caleb left Owen's quarters, his face now cleaned of the green goo that covered his face. Though still tender, his face felt soft and now and then would itch, Owen had told him from refraining from itching if possible.

Caleb traversed the castle's lower levels and ascended to higher grounds. A spiral stone staircase lead him through a small arch opening into the main grand hall of the castle.

The grand hall was devoid of all colour except the greyness of the stone walls. Faint rays of sunlight shone through the narrow windowless holes. To his left, Caleb saw a wide stone staircase that lead towards other corridors and halls of the castle.

Scattered around the grand hall were heavily armoured guards. Stood still as statues they did, not breathing or swaying. If Caleb was not mistaken, they could have easily passed for empty armour casings placed on display.

The teen made his way towards the great wooden oak doors that were closed. With effort he pushed the doors open wide where the sunlight hit his blue eyes causing him to squint. It took his eyesight a few seconds to adjust to the light.

After his eyesight had returned, he saw himself standing before the courtyard. It was quiet. The training session that had abruptly come to an end provided none of the students that were around earlier. Caleb wondered if they were angry with him for bringing their session to an early end. More to the point he wondered what kind of state William was in, probably a lot better than Caleb was.

Caleb descended the steps and onto the courtyard, carrying his sword in his hand.

"Caleb!" a voice called from behind him. Caleb turned to see Errol who was hiding in the shadows; he emerged forth and approached Caleb. He, like Caleb was still in his armour. Caleb had begun to pry his sword out of its casing before spotting Errol who held his arms just above his head in an action that meant he intended no harm.

"Come to gloat have you?" Caleb sneered sliding his sword back into his casing.

"No." Errol said. "Actually, I came to see if you were okay."

Caleb frowned and saw on Errol's face concern, worry. Worry for Caleb.

Caleb looked around to see if Merc was behind this, he saw neither Merc, William nor Gregory. "Why would you want to check up on me? You don't know me!"

Errol sighed. "True, I don't know you, but even I am not stupid in thinking that what William inflicted on you was good."

Caleb blinked. Was this really happening? Was Errol, one of Merc's goons concerned about Caleb?

"Whatever happened in that session, I just want you to know, that was not William."

Errol's words struck Caleb hard. His eyes widened slightly. "I don't understand."

Errol scratched the back of his brown short hair. "William is not a violent person. Neither is he shy, but never violent. That was not the William I know. That was someone else."

"Maybe I hit a nerve with him." Caleb suggested.

Errol shook his head. "Say whatever you wish, but that was not William, that was not my friend."

Caleb scoffed. "What does it matter? You and your _friends _have caused nothing but trouble for me over the years of my life. I'd have thought that seeing me get beaten up by a thug like you or William would have been pleasure to you."

Errol's brown eyes narrowed. "You think that I wanted you to be beaten to a pulp?"

"William certainly held nothing back!" Caleb said his voice rising slightly.

"I am telling you Caleb that was _not William_!" Errol's voice trembled, Caleb caught the quivering in his voice.

"You really are afraid, aren't you?" Caleb asked him.

Errol nodded. "Like I said, that was not William." Errol then left Caleb who followed Errol's movement as he left the courtyard.

It was a strange moment, Caleb had never expected a thug to check on him just to make sure he was in a stable condition.

Deciding not to linger or ponder on the moment for any longer, Caleb, feeling somewhat exhausted, left the courtyard and made his way back to Drumstone.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

Light would refuse to touch Fern Woods, its evil would instantly overwhelm the light. Though night had now fallen across the land, it would always be dark in Fern Woods, not even the moonlight or the brightness of Draco's star set their gaze upon the foul wood.

The heart of Fern Woods housed the Shyee themselves, and they had summoned Mortimer.

Mortimer stood before a path that looked nothing more than an abyss to him. To whoever so came upon this path, it would be like looking into the soul of the most devilish creatures unfathomable to humankind. The foulest of all darkness clung to this path.

Mortimer had heard stories throughout Fern Woods of those who had walked down this path. The stories involved that should anyone so much as imagine about what may lay ahead, death would fall upon those instantly. The deaths would vary and were horrid. To hear the stories required strength and a strong stomach.

Mortimer remembered a time so long ago, of a cutthroat thief who was summoned by the Shyee. The thief walked down this dark path, clearing his mind of all thought, but halfway through the path, several images of what would befall him rushed into his mind. The thief's death involved his skin being stripped followed by the remains of his body dissolving gruesomely onto the pitch-black floor.

Mortimer had been sceptical of this so called tale of the cutthroat thief's death, for starters, either the Shyee released the story of the thief's death or someone made it up.

The Shyee's most prized loyalist looked down the darkest path known to all man; his malevolent brown eyes scanned the whole path, though he saw nothing. He emptied his mind of all thought and images, and taking a deep breath, he set foot onto the path. Though he had been down this path many times, it unnerved him slightly. Still he was the Shyee's favourite and he doubted that they wanted to slay him after all he had done for them.

Darkness engulfed Mortimer as he strode down the path. The air was stale, the ground worn and old, in fact it was so old Mortimer could not tell if it was path he was on or not, the darkened path seemed uneven beneath his feet.

Nothing touched him, no trees, no branches, not even a trace of wind. It was almost as if the forest refused to touch the most hated and vile man in existence.

Some time passed, and the darkness began to cling to him, the only sound was of his breathing and the uneven footsteps of his stride. Until up ahead, a small green dim spot hovered in the darkness. Mortimer knew he was close to his masters.

A trail of white mist now snaked itself around his feet. The dark trees of Fern Woods reappeared, except these were stripped of their leaves and were replaced with nothing but dark large thorns. Thick strands of cobwebs hung on the bare stripped branches of the whole circular clearing he was currently in.

Encompassing the clearing was a green-ringed fire that cast an ominous emerald glow across the floor; it even lit up Mortimer's pale face.

Mortimer's dark eyes scanned the whole clearing. It was vacant of life.

Then the green fires sprang to life, they extended high casting a wall, even sealing off the only entrance into the clearing. Mortimer did not flinch at this strange phenomenon, it had happened to him on more than one occasion when visiting his masters.

Again, Mortimer scanned the enclosed clearing.

Something moved behind him, it was followed by a popping and crackling sound. He could feel its dark presence dominate over his evilness.

A slight smirk appeared on his face which then dropped into a more discomforted look.

He sighed and straightened. Now was the time to face his masters and his punishment. "Forgive me my Lord Shyee, for I have failed." Mortimer said keeping his back facing towards the presence behind him.

"_What happened Mortimer?_" a mixture of voices which cut the air, cold and emotionless, asked him over the slight cackling and popping sound.

"I underestimated them, it won't happen again." Mortimer vowed.

"_Eons we have waited for the moment, eons of planning so that we may obtain the items in which the keepers have kept hidden for millennia's, eons of patience, and when the time came, you promised us that you would obtain the item with ease…we are not pleased!_"

Mortimer breathed heavily. It was worse for Mortimer for he had never felt anger emit from his masters before. In fact, he could not even sense his master's anger, a soothing calmness emitted from the Shyee's many voices. "Allow me to redeem myself, I can take men to find the item. I can track it down."

A loud long sigh came from the Shyee, its warm breath trickled down Mortimer's neck and spread across his back.

He felt the presence of his master approach closer, until his master's voice was but inches away from his ear, he could hear the cackling and popping sound even more clearly now, and a warmness emitted from his master. "_Give us a reason for why we should allow you to redeem yourself?_"

Mortimer turned around to face his master.

A heavily brown robed being, surrounded by miniature flames that acted as a second skin almost to the robe that the being was wearing. The faint cackling and popping of the flames did not burn through the brown robe nor did the being appear to be in any pain.

Mortimer could not see his master's face for the hood shrouded it in blackness. The being in front of him had its arms crossed.

"Have I not been loyal to you ever since you found me all those years ago? Have I not kept Fern Woods under control? Have I not done my elitist to carry out your supreme goals?"

The fiery brown robed being swayed back and forth slightly. After some short amount of time, almost as if considering Mortimer's words, his master spoke. "_Very well, we shall give you a second chance, seldom do we give second chances. But we warn you Mortimer, should you fail in acquiring this item, we may never return home!_"

Mortimer nodded

"_Do what you must!_" with these words the being faded away leaving small traces of ash floating towards the dead black and grey grass beneath.

The walls of green fire shrunk and the exit had returned. Mortimer's black eyes narrowed and a dark frown appeared on his face. He left the clearing, now feeling more determined to please his master's than any before him. He had an incline on where to start looking for the item.

* * *

**Copyright ©***

***Anything original such as new character and new plot is owned by me.**

Chapter 8 will be up hopefully in the less amount of time I took for this chapter to be placed online.

SoulVirus


	9. Chapter 8: The Object in the Sack

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank You.**

* * *

**A/N: Right here is chapter 8, I know the update is a little late, but I promised myself that I would upload before the day's/night's end.**

Again a special thank you to all who has reviewed thus far and I mentioned in the previous chapter, I will make a formal thank you at the end of this whole story.

* * *

**Dragonheart: The Return **

**Chapter 8**

**The Object in the Sack**

Drumstone was quiet, the sky now dark and the stars twinkled down upon the village. Draco's star was stationed right on top of the village like an angel guarding a child from harm, the moon on the other hand was covered by a black cloud.

As the village and its animals slept, one person however was still awake.

Caleb sat on his bed in his room with a candle sitting on a stool, his parents were fast asleep, and through the hollow wood and mixture of mud that was his wall, he could clearly hear his parents breathing.

The rest of the day bore no fruit for Caleb the moment her returned from practice earlier that morning, his parents were slightly worried, and though adamant he was that everything was fine. He did feel irritated at his master for giving him a few days leave, Caleb did not like that one bit, it would mean he would miss out on several lessons.

But he was a knight in training, and as a knight in training it was his job as a knight to put every effort into protecting the kingdom, even if he attained a few bruises. Tomorrow, he would return to the courtyard to show his determination.

For the moment he returned to the sack which laid in front of him, the sack in which Drea had given him at the beginning of the day.

_Drea!_

Caleb thought of her, how young she must have been. He was mourning for her, a girl he had never ever seen in his life. Why was he mourning her? Did he feel a sense of guilt that he did not do his damndest to save her? In all honesty, he did feel as if he should have done better, but what could he do now that her body dissolved into golden specks of light?

Even so, he did feel a sense of obligation. Caleb wondered what was so special about this sack. He recalled when Drea came stumbling out of Fern Woods. Everyone, even he knew that no one went into Fern Woods, in fact no one ever came out of it. Drea must have been lucky, but only an idiot would have travelled through Fern Woods, and Drea, in the very little time he knew her, didn't seem like an idiot, she seemed more desperate.

Which leads him to the sack on his bed. Caleb contemplated on whether or not to open the sack and take a look inside to see what it contained. Probably nothing of value. Though the temptation of wanting to sneak a peek was driving him mad.

"Should I or shouldn't I?" he mused.

He ran his hands over his still smoothed face from Owen's bizarre medical remedies he used to heal him. His mind kept telling him that it was wrong to look into other people's luggage. His heart was telling him something different. His parents taught him to always go with his heart, as the heart always contained the truth, the mind on the other hand, he was taught, contained a mixture of both good and evil and trickery among it.

Following his heart, Caleb opened the sack and reached in.

There was indeed something inside the sack. He felt around. It appeared smooth and spherical as his hands touched the object inside. As smooth as the object was, a tingling surge of warmth with electricity jumped onto his fingertips and ran through his body.

Then, something peculiar happened. He could…hear something…a beat.

_Thump thump…thump thump…thump thump_…

It was a heartbeat. At first, he thought it was his own heartbeat rising at the anxiety of pulling this…whatever it was that was in the sack out. Except it was not his heartbeat he was hearing or feeling. It was…someone else's.

Caleb grasped the object firmly and brought it out of the sack.

When Caleb pulled the object out of the sack and onto his bed, he marvelled at the sight of it.

"Holy…" he never finished his sentence. Instead, he started a new one. "Impossible, I thought you were all _extinct_!" Caleb told himself.

He traced his hands over the object's smooth mud brown surface. He noticed that it had several patterns, swirls and a strange bizarre language in which he could not make out, he was not even sure if it was a language or just part of the pattern engraved on the object.

There was no mistaking it. Caleb knew a Dragon Egg when he saw one, but even he was not sure if this was a fake. It seemed legit, but he had to make sure.

Caleb pressed his ear to surface of the egg and gave it a tap. Something inside tapped back.

Caleb pulled his ear away in alarm at the fact that there was something inside this Egg.

To say that he was afraid was an understatement, because he was not afraid, quite the opposite, he smiled and refrained from laughing in joy so as not to wake his parents. To think that this Egg, which survived a travel through Fern Woods and handed down to him by Drea, an unknown stranger whom he had never met before, what were the chances of that? If only he knew know what to do with it. Had Drea told him before she died where to take the egg, he might have been able to get the egg to safety.

He needed to tread carefully on this; he had to take care of this egg and the Dragon inside. But who could help him? There was only one person.

Caleb delicately placed the egg back into the sack. He slid it under his bed to the back of the farthest wall. Caleb blew out the candle and did his best to drift off to sleep. He couldn't, not at first. It was not until the _thump thump…thump thump…thump thump_ of the heartbeats returned, that he finally fell asleep.

A peculiar dream overtook him. A dream that was filled with starlight and swirls of cosmic gasses. Black figures flew back and forth in front of his eyes all rather majestically. Melodic music filled his mind banishing all worry from every fibre in his body. Only positive emotions were allowed in this dream, and the evil appeared to be damned the moment this melodic music started.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

When Caleb woke the next day, he felt more refreshed than ever. Maybe it was Owen's remedies or the night's sleep. Then again, it could have been the dream and its melodic music that made him feel more alert and refreshed. Whatever the case, he felt glad that he felt a hundred percent. He honestly did feel as if some weight had been lifted off his shoulders, not that he had any problems to begin with, save for a small few.

Caleb quickly jumped from his bed to his feet. He bent under his bed to retrieve the sack. He placed the sack on his bed. Quickly he placed on some morning clothes, grabbed the sack and hooked it around his shoulder.

In the main section of the house, Caleb's father stood over the stove making breakfast. "Ah, good morning son."

"Can't stop right now father, I need to be somewhere."

Caleb quickly left his home and rushed as fast as his feet could take him back to the castle. The castle grounds were quiet, save for a few stragglers. Caleb rushed indoors and down towards the dungeon levels where he knew that his mentor, Owen, would be.

By luck, he was there, the door to his quarters opened. He was sitting down reading from a book. He lifted his head as soon as he saw Caleb enter.

"Caleb!" he said surprised. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting? If you are here to consider me lifting your leave, I am afraid it still stands."

"I am not here for that, master." Caleb told his mentor. Owen looked astonished. "I am here on another matter entirely."

"Oh?" a mystified Owen said, his grey eyes widening in awe.

Caleb took the sack off his shoulder and placed it on the table in front of him. "I was wondering if you could tell me whether this is authentic."

Caleb reached in and pulled the egg out of the sack.

Owen held his breath, a look of fear written over his face. "What is it?" Caleb asked seeing the terror on his mentor's face.

Owen stumbled over his words. "Where did you find this?" he asked pointing at the egg.

Caleb came up with a lie; better not tell him the true story. "I found it, on the outskirts of Drumstone, in the field between Drumstone and Fern Woods to be honest. Just lying there."

A slight shock ran up his right arm, but he waved it off.

"You found it?" Owen eyed Caleb suspiciously.

Caleb nodded.

"Hmm." Owen inspected the egg, tapping it and rolling it around on the table in front of him.

"Is it an egg?" Caleb asked. "A Dragon egg I mean?" Owen did not answer him at first; he was too engrossed in making out the patterns on the egg itself as his fingers traced the patterns. "It is, isn't it?" an excited Caleb said.

"I doubt that it is. Dragon's and Dragon eggs are myths and legends now Caleb, extinct. There has not been a Dragon since Geoff and his Dragon Drake passed from this earth many moons ago."

"But if this is one. If one survived–"

"Don't get ahead of yourself my dear boy. If this is a Dragon egg, there are ways in which we can prove it."

"How?" Caleb questioned.

Owen sat back in his chair, thinking. "If I recall correctly, Brother Gilbert, a monk, documented many tales about Dragons and their birth. Usually, Dragon eggs are much larger than this one here. Most Dragon eggs can come in the size of boulders, and some come in the form like this one on the desk in which you see before you. However, none are meant to have strange patterns on them. It is said that to find out if you have a true Dragon egg on your hands, you should try to crack the shell."

Caleb glowered at this. "What? You mean…smash it open?"

Owen nodded. "It was the only way in which one could spot a fake. It the egg cracks and crumbles, you have a fake. And if it doesn't, then you have a Dragon egg."

Caleb thought for a moment. "Can we test it out now?" he asked.

Owen thought about this. "Well…there is still some time before my lesson starts. Oh! Why not."

Owen stood up and retreated into his storeroom where kept all his remedies. He returned a short while later with a pickaxe and a hammer.

"Okay," he said placing the two objects on the table. "We shall use the hammer first." He instructed Caleb to hold the egg down firmly to stop it from rolling across the table.

Picking up the hammer, Owen raised it above his head and brought it down on the egg with force. Caleb always imagined him to be slightly weak, but he had strength in him to bring the hammer crashing down on the egg.

The instant the hammer struck the egg's surface, the tip of the hammer shattered.

A wave of anger travelled through Caleb's body; at least, he thought it was anger. He could not describe it. It was as if, he and the being inside the egg shared the same anger. He swayed slightly, unseen by Owen.

"Okay," Owen raised his eyebrows. "Let's try the pickaxe."

Owen applied the same manoeuvre as he did with the hammer. This time the sharp end of the axe snapped and slid across the floor and came to rest at the foot of a bookshelf. Again, Caleb felt the same anger course through him, he didn't like it. The creature inside was dying to get out and cause damage to whoever was trying to crack its shell.

Caleb took his hands off the egg. Weight lifted off his shoulders almost instantly, he felt angry no more.

Caleb's hands shook slightly, and yet again, Owen never noticed.

"Hmm," mused Owen. "Either this is a Dragon Egg, or…"

Caleb looked at him.

"…some very powerful Taika is being used here."

"I thought Taika was forbidden to be used. You said it yourself master."

"That I did." Owen scratched his beard. "There are troublemakers who tend to break those rules." He then scratched his head. "There may be people who know about what kind of egg this is. It is about half a day's journey from here…" he looked at Caleb whose blue eyes stared longingly at the egg. Owen frowned. "Caleb,"

Caleb snapped back to reality. "Master?"

"How would you like to visit Cardford Monastery?"

Caleb looked in astonishment at his master. He had heard of Cardford Monastery, practically everyone in the Drumstone knew of Cardford, maybe everyone across the land of England and beyond.

"The Monastery of Cardford?" Caleb asked. His master nodded. Caleb stuttered. "I-I thought it was forbidden to enter the Monastery unless–"

"Unless for a good and terrifying reason?" Owen finished. Caleb nodded. "I am on good terms with the friars of Cardford. Their knowledge about the world and the myths of Dragons and why Taika was truly forbidden to be used in the land is unparalleled to what we know now. Being a knight is not just about fighting and protecting your kingdom and family Caleb, it also knowing how to use knowledge to best your enemy, and Cardford friars and monks know how to do that very well."

Caleb cocked his head to one side after hearing this. His mentor never told him about this, never once, hearing his master speak in these words made him feel so bold in Caleb's eyes. _Bold words indeed._

"I can take you there after today's lesson. Meet back here in my chambers before noon, and best to keep that egg out of sight."

Caleb nodded and left.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

Caleb rushed back to his home as fast as he could. He tried to avoid bumping into Merc and his friends, but to no avail.

"What you got there Johnson?" Merc sneered at the sack around his shoulders.

Caleb leered at him; he saw William standing beside Merc, glaring at him darkly, his emerald eyes were begging to have another go at Caleb. Just behind him, Caleb saw Errol, who eyed his two friends in that same fearful manner as before when William nearly knocked Caleb's lights out. He noticed that Gregory was neither with them.

Caleb quickly left, Merc and William sniggering.

The moment Caleb returned home, he rushed into his home and hid the sack under his bed. Pushing the sack at the very end, he felt relieved, but it was not he that was relieved, it was the being in the egg. He could not explain it, but it seemed that whatever that was in the egg had somehow gotten into his head. It sounded impossible and damn near stupid when Caleb thought about it, but that was what it seemed like to him.

* * *

**Copyright ©***

***Anything original such as new character and new plot is owned by me.**

Chapter 9 will be up hopefully next Saturday. Keep an eye out until then. Nos Da (Goodnight)

SoulVirus


	10. Chapter 9: The Monastery of Cardford

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank You.**

* * *

**A/N: Okey-doke here is chapter 9, I have to say writing this one chapter out was surprisingly difficult for me, but I am just glad it managed to take some shape or form, it would have been longer but had I made this chapter any longer, it would have just droned on and on and on and on and on…well you get the picture.**

Thank you to all who has reviewed thus far and just to remind you all I will make a formal thank you at the end of this whole story.

* * *

**Dragonheart: The Return**

**Chapter 9**

**The Monastery of Cardford**

By the time the sun was high in the sky, Caleb rushed back to Owen's quarters in the castle. There he was waiting for him. He had just placed a black travelling cloak over his broad shoulders and tied the knot to keep it from falling off. Owen then grabbed his long wooden staff, which he always took with him on either short or long journeys.

"Caleb, good, you made it. I see you brought the Egg with you." Owen used his staff to point at the sack over Caleb's shoulder. "Are you ready?" Caleb nodded frantically.

They set on foot across the large green fields, a stone-pebbled path laid out before them. They passed a few civilians who were on horse and carriages, probably making their way towards Drumstone Castle ready for the Trade the next day.

"Are you going to tell me how you really came by that egg, or do I have to force it out of you?" Owen said.

Caleb did not feel like telling his mentor anything about how he came by the egg. He wondered as to how long he could keep lying to him. "I told you, I found it in the field just beyond–"

"Caleb!" Owen said in a slow monotone.

Caleb scrunched up his eyes and sighed. Turns out, he could only lie for a short amount time. He had to hand it to his mentor; he could always spot a liar from ten feet away.

Taking a deep breath, Caleb told him everything about how he came by the egg. Being chased by Merc and his goons and how was nearly beaten up by them. It was a struggle for him when he came to recounting the moment when Drea stumbled out of Fern Woods, died in his arms, burnt and fragile, and startled at how her body evaporated into a wondrous golden glow.

"I take it that was the first time you saw someone die?" Owen asked sensing Caleb's unsettledness.

Caleb nodded. "It has been on my mind for a while, I never even knew her. She was so young master. I could not tell anyone what happened, how could I? People would think me mad."

"I don't think you are mad, Caleb." Owen told him. "I believe you. There are many mysteries in the world that you have yet to come across. What happened between you and Drea, is but one of those mysteries." His face took a villainous form and his voice darkened. "What is more mysterious is why Drea…made her way through Fern Woods." Owen looked back into the direction of Drumstone; he could just about see the tip of the castle in the distance. The grey cloud that loomed over Fern Woods was still visible to the eye.

The continued onwards.

"How is it you know the Monks of Cardford master?" Caleb was interested in this.

Owen smiled; a glint appeared in his grey eyes. "I was raised by them." He said plainly.

Caleb who was smiling felt his smile fade. "You were…raised by them?"

Owen nodded, his face seemed content, no sign of sadness, nothing. "My entire family history, raging as far back as anyone can remember, has always been the centre of being raised by monks and friars. It is a sort of tradition, when someone is born into my family they instantly become knights. We have no say in the matter."

"That's horrible." Caleb said.

"That's the way it has always been." Owen told him. "I can't complain, in a way I am grateful."

"How so?"

Owen stifled a small laugh. "I am training those who want to make a difference in the world, knights can make a difference Caleb. Some at least." He said straying off in thought.

Caleb thought back to Merc and his goons. He had a hard time to contemplate whether they joined in becoming knights just to help people or become thugs. Probably thugs as Caleb did not believe there was an ounce of grace in them to help others.

"There is something else I should tell you master," Caleb told his mentor on the life that currently resided inside the egg.

"Are you sure?" Owen told him.

Caleb nodded frantically. "It was…it is difficult to describe it, when you brought the axe and hammer down on the egg and it didn't break, well…I felt the being inside."

"How do you mean…felt?" queried Owen.

"I could feel its emotions. It was angry, irritated. It was as if I was the being in the egg."

Owen narrowed his grey eyes in wonder. He was not sure what to make of this, but seeing as they were close to Cardford, maybe the monks would have the answer.

**Dragonheart: The Return**

Their half-day journey reached its point.

When they reached their destination, Caleb was surprised to learn that the monastery of Cardford was located in the side of a mountain.

"I thought Cardford was built on a land." Caleb said captivated by the sight of green and brown mixed in with woods and stone.

"Cardford is the largest monastery in England; it would make sense that they build it within a mountain."

"How large exactly is the monastery?"

Owen thought for a long moment. He made a few clicking sounds with his mouth and tongue. "It occupies four mountains, this one and three more behind it. Moreover, the monastery has been built within the mountains themselves."

Caleb's eyes widened. "Hold on, I thought monasteries were meant to be built on sacred ground?"

"You are thinking of Christian monasteries. Cardford monastery actually drew its inspiration from those Tibetan monasteries that are built high in the mountains. However, Cardford may be built within and around four mountains, the monastery is actually separated into different sections all around the world. In short, Cardford dominates the whole world, making it thus the largest monastery on God's green earth."

Caleb felt as if his head were going to explode, to learn that Cardford was actually scattered across the world was a bit too much. "You could have just simplified all that by saying it dominated the whole world."

Owen shrugged.

They moved within the mountains shadow, a series of steps winding up towards the first layers of the monastery took most of the energy out of Caleb. Owen seemed to have no trouble at all in climbing the steps; then again, he had a long stick.

They reached the top of the first layer in just under an hour, Caleb, whose legs were about to give way was grateful when the surface evened out into a small courtyard. A monk in brown robes appeared to be waiting for them. Owen bowed and Caleb mimicked his actions. Caleb took this time to gain his breath back. There were hardly any steps to crawl back in Drumstone.

"Welcome to Cardford." The monk said. "It is a pleasure to see you again Sir Owen, ancestor of Bowen."

Caleb looked to his mentor. "Sir Bowen?" he frowned at the name, it rang a bell. He did not question the Monk or Owen any further, what he wanted to know right now if the being in the bag was a Dragon. In addition, it if it was, what was he do next?

"We did not receive any word of you–"

"I know I didn't send word in advance father, but…" Owen trailed off and waked up to the monk, they spoke in hushed voices that Caleb could not overhear. He noticed the monk's face seemed to take on a fearful expression.

"Master Johnson, perhaps you should accompany Master Owen and I indoors."

Caleb nodded and followed the monk – and Owen – indoors.

The inside of the monastery had been built out of stone with elements of the mountain blended into the framework. The moment that Caleb stepped inside one of the monasteries' buildings, a freshly scented smell of lavender ran up his nose, it was welcoming.

The only downside was the narrow corridors, which were dark that the monk in front of them had to use a candlestick to see where they were going.

The long dark narrow corridor took them into what appeared to be some kind of waiting room with several rows of wooden benches. A large round glass window was built high into the side of what Caleb assumed was part of the mountain. The sun shone through it illuminating the room they were in.

"Please, take a seat, we have refreshments on that table over there," the monk pointed to table where a collection of fruit and bread with water was displayed in plain sight, "help yourself. I shall return shortly with the head of the monastery."

The monk left and Owen and Caleb took a seat and waited. They sat in silence.

After a rather uncomfortable few moments, Caleb broke the silence by asking the question: "Are you related to Sir Bowen?"

"Yes." Owen said without hesitation.

Caleb's eyes widened in amazement. "As in the Sir Bowen that met the great Dragon Draco?"

"The very same." Replied Owen again without hesitation.

"So you are a Saxon knight?"

"I have Saxon blood in me, but overall I am English."

"Why not mention to anyone that you are related to Bowen?"

"I didn't think it would be that important, no one asked so I remained quiet."

Caleb could hardly believe it. He was standing in the shadow of one of the most famous descendants in history. Caleb did his best to contain his excitement. Had it not been for the creature inside the egg that yet again reached out into his mind, easing and calming his thoughts, Caleb may have burst from excitement.

Walking into the waiting chamber came an elderly monk, who nearly resembled that of a skeleton with skin on and little to no hair, bowed to them. "Greetings Owen, it has been too long."

"It is a pleasure to see you as always Father Lott." Owen bowed in return. "Oh, this is Caleb."

Caleb bowed to show his appreciation.

"Interesting." Father Lott breathed. "You hold the egg which contains the most beautiful creature in all of God's creation, yet the prophecy never foresaw this."

Caleb stared at the monk, clueless as to what he was talking about.

"Father, perhaps you can shed some light as to what is going on here. Caleb is a student of mine, a fine student in fact," Caleb blushed. "He recently stumbled along an egg which was handed down to him from a girl called Drea,"

The monk's ears pricked at the mention of the girl's name.

"This Drea, stumbled from Fern Woods, and handed the egg over to Caleb. After I tested to see that it was legit, and with no other possible answers to look for, we came here."

"I see." Lott said nodding his head slowly. "And where is this Drea you speak of?"

"She's…dead." Caleb said struggling to get the word out of his mouth.

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that." The monk said bowing his head. "What of the other two?"

"What other two?" Caleb asked.

"The other two who were supposed to be with Drea, her sisters."

"There were no one else with Drea at the time."

Lott thought for a moment. "That was not how it was supposed to be." He stared at Caleb and Owen for a few second. "I think it best if you follow me."

Caleb and Owen followed the monk through many dark narrow corridors and catacombs. A monastery inside a mountain never had Caleb never felt so cramped; he did not know how Owen was faring. He did not seem bothered at all by the small and dark narrow corridors and catacombs. Only when they came into a large open chamber every now and then that Caleb could breathe more easily. The deeper into the mountain they went, the staler the air became and stuffy.

Lott soon brought them into a cramped are of the monastery, sections upon sections of tiny rooms that were filled with scrolls and documents in each one, a lone table and stool and a single candlelight for seeing.

Lott brought them forth into one of the tiny rooms, filled with shelves full of scrolls and paper. Before them, a table, a stool, and only one candle as in every tiny room they passed by. "What is it with you monks and small places?" grumbled Caleb.

"Feeling out of your comfort zone?" Owen asked.

"A little."

Lott searched around and found a piece of rolled up parchment he was looking for. He pulled it out from under a stack of rolled parchments that was piled up to the top of the small chamber's roof. The young knight expected the stack to collapse on them, but the stack remained standing.

"This scroll," Lott said holding it up to them, "has been in our company for as long as any can imagine. It is rumoured that this was one of the very first prophecies that Brother Gilbert wrote when he encountered Draco and Bowen and later on Kara." He turned his pale eyes onto the scroll, laid it down on the table and unrolled it for both Owen and Caleb to see.

* * *

**Copyright ©***

***Anything original such as new character and new plot is owned by me.**

Chapter 10 MIGHT be up next Saturday if my schedule allows it. Keep an eye out until then. Nos Da (Goodnight)

SoulVirus


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